Do I need planning permission for a caravan or camping site?

If you operate a caravan or camping site or a have a residential mobile home or park site you must be licensed with the Council.

• A site can range from a single caravan, tent or tourer on a small plot of land to large sites comprising of 100's of units.
• All sites must have planning permission prior to an application for a caravan license.
• All sites are subject to conditions which must be complied with at all times.
• Residential mobile homes and park home sites have additional requirements under the Mobile Homes Act 2013.

If you are thinking of purchasing an existing site, make sure it complies with existing conditions and that planning permission is in place with the occupancy you need. Licences are issued under the Caravan sites and Control of Development Act 1960 with some Exemptions.

No licence is required for caravan(s) that are being used:

• in connection with the owners dwelling;
• for temporary building/engineering workers or seasonal agricultural or forestry workers or certified travelling showmen;
• for not more than 2 nights (as long as the caravan(s) has not been present for more than 28 days during the previous year), or;
• for up to 3 caravans on a plot of 5 acres or more for no more than 28 days a year;
• on sites owned by a local authority;
• by exempted organisations such as the Camping and Caravan club operating a club members only policy;
• on Caravan and Camping club (or other exempted organisation) Certified Sites for no more than 5 caravans.

No licence for camping (tents only) is required for land used:

• for not more than 42 days consecutively or 60 days in a year
• licences are issued under the Public Health Act 1936.

Please note that once a caravan licence is obtained, changes may be made within the site without planning permission and under permitted development provided those changes are required by conditions of the site licence.

Should you wish to confirm whether planning permission is required for your proposal, you will need to submit an application for a Certificate of Lawfulness. Application forms and fees can be found on the Planning Portal website. You can also download forms from the Planning Portal website.

You will also need to submit plans showing the proposal.