Caravan and Camping Sites

Caravan & Camping 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 that has been issued by the local authority. This applies to park home sites, residential, holiday and touring caravan sites.

The law covering caravans is contained in:

Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act 1960

This act covers the licensing of caravan sites and the safety, welfare and management conditions which need to be provided.

Caravan Sites Act 1968

This act deals with protection from eviction from residential sites and the maximum dimensions for caravans

The Mobile Homes Act 2013

This act covers the civil law between site owners and residents on 'protected sites'. A protected site is one which has planning permission for permanent residential use and has been issued with a site licence (normally by Environmental Health)

List of Licensed Caravan Sites

You can view the list of caravan sites licensed by Boston Borough Council in the downloads section

Eligibility criteria

The applicant must be entitled to use the land as a caravan site. Licences will not be issued to applicants who have had a site licence revoked within three years of the current application.

Applying for a licence

Applications for site licences are made to the local authority in whose area the land is situated. Applications must be in writing and should give details of the land the application concerns and any other information required. A site plan at 1:500 scale showing the layout of roads, caravans and facilities must accompany the application.

In order to be eligible to be issued a licence the applicant must be entitled to use the land as a caravan site. In addition licences will not be issued to applicants who have had a site licence revoked within three years of the current application.

Please note:- a caravan site licence cannot be issued without corresponding planning permission having first been obtained by the site owner.

Exemptions

There are some exceptions:

• 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 traveller 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.

Application evaluation process

Applications for site licences are made to the local authority in whose area the land situated.

Applications must be in writing, should detail the land the application concerns and any other information required by the local authority.

Will tacit consent apply?

Yes. This means that you will be able to act as though your application is granted if you have not heard from the local authority by the end of the target completion period.

Site Licence Conditions

Specimen copies of our caravan site conditions are available in the downloads section.