It is illegal to use land as a caravan site unless the occupier holds a site licence issued by the council. This is part of the Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act 1960. There are some exceptions, including:
- A caravan sited within the boundary of a property and used together with that property. The caravan cannot be occupied separately.
- A single caravan sited for not more that two consecutive nights for a maximum of 28 days in any 12 months.
- Sites occupied by exempt organisations such as the Caravan Club or sites for up to five caravans certified by an exempt organisation and for use by their members only.
- A site for temporary or special purposes such as caravan rallies.
Licence conditions
Licences have conditions that include:
- The type of caravan, e.g. residential, static holiday or touring.
- The permitted number and the spacing between vans/homes.
- Water supply, drainage and toilet facilities.
- Fire precautions and electrical installations.
Licence conditions do not cover issues that relate to the agreement between site owner and occupier.
The council does have powers to take action against site owners who harass or illegally evict site occupiers. These powers are part of the Caravan Sites Act 1968.
Applying for a licence
To apply for a licence you must fill in the caravan site licence application form. This must be accompanied by a site plan at 1:500 scale. The site plan should show the layout of roads, caravans and facilities.
You can complete your application online;