Caravan Sites

The purpose of the Caravan Sites Act is to protect the health and safety of residents(both permanent and visitors) of caravan sites by requiring the sites to be licensed and to comply with basic standards.

Licensing Requirements

A caravan site licence is required if a caravan is stationed on land for the purpose of human habitation.

Schedule 1 of the Caravan Sites Act lists the following exemptions:-

• incidental to the enjoyment and within the curtilage of a dwelling house (does not apply to flats, guest houses).
• single caravan, for a maximum of two nights, and a maximum of twenty eight days in twelve months.
• a maximum of three caravans for twenty eight days in twelve months on holdings of five acres or more.
• sites occupied and supervised by exempted organisations.
• up to five caravans on sites certified by exempted organisations.
• a meeting organised by exempted organisation lasting for not more than five days.
• seasonal use by agricultural and forestry workers.
• building and engineering site workers at or adjoining the site.
• travelling showmen.
• sites occupied by the District Council.
• gypsy sites occupied by County or Regional Councils.

A licence can only be issued if the site has expressed planning consent. An established use certificate does not give entitlement to a licence. The consent may limit use to particular types of caravans e.g. self propelled caravans where there is difficulty over access. In these cases the licence should contain the same restrictions.

A caravan site can include tents and on touring sites the licence normally allows a small tent alongside a caravan to be counted as a single unit. If the site does not have planning consent for caravans, a licence for tents can be granted under the provisions of the Public Health Act.

Application for a Caravan Site Licence

An application for a caravan site licence must be in writing and must specify the land it relates to, it must also contain prescribed particulars and preferably be on the standard application form. This specifies the requirements of plans etc. If the licence is not issued within two months, the site can operate without a licence until one is issued.

Conditions

Section 5 of the Caravan sites and Control of Development Act allows a Local Authority to impose conditions in the interest of the persons dwelling in the caravans, or of any other class of persons, or of the public at large.

The conditions can include:-

• the periods of use
• numbers of vans
• state of repair and type of caravans
• positioning of vans and other structures and tents
• preserving amenity
• fire precautions
• sanitary facilities

Conditions can not control the type of caravan by reference to the material used in their construction (but the model standards now do).

If four or more vans are permitted on the site, there must be a condition requiring a copy of the licence to be displayed on the site.

Reasons for Conditions

• The numbers may be limited to have regard to planning or highway considerations to maintain amenity or privacy.
• Seasonal use may be required as a planning condition to prevent residential use of sub-standard accommodation, or to preserve the quiet amenity of the area during closed periods.
• Spacing of the caravans is predominantly for fire consideration, but privacy and noise nuisance are also factors.
• Road surfaces are covered to prevent danger and dust nuisance.
• The minimum distances from sanitary disposal points etc is to prevent nuisance and improve hygiene.
• The site name must be displayed for easy identification by emergency services.

Tented Site Licence

A tented site licence is require if tents are stationed on land for the purposes of human habitation exceeding 42 days consecutively of 60 days in a 12 month period (planning consent is required for use of land on more than 28 days).

An application for a site licence must be in writing. If a licence is not issued within one month, the site can operate with a licence until one is issued.

Tented site licences are issued under the Public Health Act 1936, Section 269 as amended by the Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act 1960, Section 30 which entitles the Local Authority to apply whatever conditions it deems necessary to the licence.