"Except with the permission in writing of the CAA, an aircraft shall not be flown closer than 500 feet to any person, vessel, vehicle or structure."
Doesn't sound like a confined area if the nearest structures have to be 500 feet away.
If you cant land off airfield because it's a training flight does it mean you can only teach confined area on an airfield? I can see the sense of not letting a solo student land off airfield but what's the problem doing it with an FI?
You can happily fly 100 foot off the ground forever provided you maintain at least 500 feet (in any direction, not just vertically!) from any person, vessel, vehicle or structure. So an approach to a confined area, even your back garden, is legal provided the path is clear.
Does that apply to training flights? For training you ain't allowed to land off airfield and if you ain't intending to land you can't go closer than 500 feet to a person, vessel, vehicle or structure?
If someone buys a helicopter to learn to fly and keeps it at home does it mean the FI has to take him to an airfield and touch skids before the student can start logging the training time? Do they have to go through the same procedure at the end of the lesson? If that's right, does that mean the time on the way to the airfield and on the way home doesn't count for training even if you are training?
BTW, in the US, helicopters are allowed to fly closer than 500 feet to a person, vessel, vehicle, or structure
provided you don't cause a hazard to persons or property on the surface. (Except in congested areas and other specified minimum altitude places.) I can't remember if there's any limitations on that for training flights but I don;t think so.