Caravan site licensing

Contents

Caravan site licensing

To run a caravan site in North Northamptonshire you need a licence from us. There are 3 main types of caravan site licences.

  • the licence holder owns the site and residents lease a pitch (some sites have mobile homes to rent as well)
  • owners and managers of the site must satisfy us that they are a fit and proper person to manage the site
  • a licence holder must agree site rules with residents and must deposit those rules with us

The level of fees depends on the number of units at the site. Fees will apply unless the site is exempted under Mobile Homes regulation. For costs view our licensing fees and charges page.

For further information and details of exemption from fees please see our Mobile homes fee and assessment policy.

  • holiday sites may have individually owned static caravans for use solely by caravan owners, and some have static caravans available for rent
  • the site is subject to conditions that prohibit the use of caravans for human habitation during certain times of the year

There is no fee for this type of licence.

  • a site that is licensed for touring units such as caravans, camper vans, motor homes and tents

There is no fee for this type of licence.

Exceptions

You do not need a licence for:

  • sites that are 5 or more acres with 3 or less caravans there for 28 days in any 12 months
  • sites for temporary and special purposes such as caravan rallies, agricultural and forestry workers, building and engineering sites and travelling salesmen
  • sites occupied by exempted organisations such as a Caravan Club, Scouts or hobby and leisure clubs and have a caravan exemption certificate
  • a single caravan sited for no more than 2 consecutive nights for a maximum of 28 days in any 12 months
  • sites of up to 5 caravans certified by an exempt organisation and is for members only
  • a site for tents only used for a maximum of 28 days in any 12 months

Conditions

We can impose conditions on the licence for health and safety reasons, which include:

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

We may alter conditions on your licence at any time but we must give you the opportunity to make representations about the proposed changes.

If you (the licence holder) disagrees with our alterations then you may appeal to the local Magistrates court within 28 days of the written notification and a notice of appeal must be served on us.

Apply

You must be entitled to use the land as a caravan site.

You will need:

  • details of your planning permission or planning application
  • to provide particulars of any lease or tenancy you have
  • to provide clear plans for the site on a scale of 1:500 with all amenities shown
  • a card payment if fees are deemed applicable to your application

You will not be issued a site licence if you have had one revoked within the last 3 years.

If you are an existing licence holder you have a legal duty to notify us of a change of name or licence holder address.

If you want to become the owner of an existing site, contact [email protected] before you apply. Your details will be forwarded to an appropriate officer who by law is required to give consent to the transfer in advance of an application. 

An application to transfer a licence must be made by the existing licence holder.

Next steps

You must have planning permission before a licence can be issued. Provided you have the correct planning permission, you will be able to act as though your licence is granted if you have not heard from us by the end of the 2 month statutory consultation period.

Any applicant who is refused a licence can appeal to their local Magistrates' court within 21 days of the committee hearing date. Please contact [email protected] in first as we may be able to give you more information on the decision.

Site Rules

If you run a mobile homes site licence you must agree site rules with residents and must deposit those rules with us. You may also request to vary or delete site rules.

For costs view our licensing fees and charges page.

You will need to provide:

  • a copy of the proposed site rules
  • a copy of the proposal document and consultation response served on your residents
  • details of any appeal to tribunal

Site rules must be displayed on our public register for members of the public to view.

Last updated 30 October 2023