Caravan sites

The Caravan and Control of Development Act 1960 prohibits the use of land as a caravan site unless the occupier holds a site licence issued by the local authority.

If you are a potential site occupier- you or your legal advisor should check that all the land used for siting caravans has planning permission and that the details correspond with the site licence. If you wish to change the use of the land to a permanent caravan site use you must have planning permission before a licence can be issued.

About this service

Licences have conditions which include:

• the type of caravan, e.g. residential, static holiday or touring.
• the permitted density (the number per acre/hectare) and the spacing between caravans.
• water supply and drainage; lavatory and washing facilities.
• fire precautions and electrical installations.       

There are some exceptions to the requirement to licence:

• a caravan sited with the curtilage of a dwelling and its use is incidental to the dwelling. This means it cannot be occupied separately.
• a single caravan sited for not more than two consecutive nights for a maximum of 28 days in any 12 months.
• up to three caravans on a site of not less than five acres for a maximum of 28 days in any 12 months.
• sites occupied by exempted organisations such as the Caravan Club.
• sites of up to 5 caravans certified by an exempt organisation and which are for members only.
• sites occupied by the local authority. These are usually gypsy sites.
• sites for temporary and special purposes such as caravan rallies, agricultural and forestry workers, building and engineering sites and travelling salesmen.
• a site for tents only can be used for a maximum of 28 days in any 12 months.       

Applying for a licence- an application form must be completed accompanied by a site plan at 1:500 scale showing the layout of roads, caravans and facilities.

What you must do

Applications should be completed and returned to the Licensing section.

What happens next?

An inspection of the site will be carried out and the licence issued if the Model Standards for Caravan Sites are complied with.

Some frequently asked questions

How can I check if a site is licensed?

Contact the Licensing section. Also a copy of the Licence should be displayed at the site.