Caravan sites and park homes
When a site has got planning permission, the owner of the site must have a caravan site licence.
A licence is needed so we can make sure standards are being maintained on the site and that health and safety legislation is met.
The licence is issued with conditions, and we will carry out regular site inspections to ensure compliance of conditions.
No caravan site licence will be issued if either the land doesn't have planning permission for the use as a caravan site or if the applicant has had a site licence revoked within the previous three years.
Costs
|
Application type |
Fee from 1 April 2022 |
|---|---|
|
Residential Caravan Site New Application |
£800.00 |
|
Residential Caravan Site additional charge for incomplete or late application |
£250.00 |
|
Residential Caravan Site Annual Inspection Fee |
£220.00 |
|
Residential Caravan Site Fit and Proper Person 5 year Registration |
£800.00 |
In detail
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 1983 - 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
The first two Acts are enforced by us but the Mobile Homes Act may involve County Court action by residents or site owners themselves to resolve any disputes.
Site types within our district
There are two types of sites within the Wyre Forest district.
Permanent residential site
Permanent residential sites can be occupied and lived in throughout the year as a persons main residence.
There are only two of these sites within the Wyre Forest District.
Kinverdale Chalet Park site rules (pdf 244KB)
Severn Bank Park site rules (pdf 187KB)
These rules have been supplied to us by the parks and may not be suitable for users of assistive technology, if you need any help with viewing the rules please contact us.
Holiday caravan sites
The periods of time that these sites can be occupied for holiday use depends upon the conditions of the licence, these can vary between sites. The period of occupation is determined by the planning permission for the site. Queries relating to periods of occupation as detailed within the planning permission should be directed to officers within Development Management in the first instance.
What are site licences and conditions?
Before a site can be used as a caravan park/site, planning permission for that site is required. Once that planning permission is granted and before the site is occupied it is the responsibility of the site owner to apply for a site licence.
The site licence is the legal document, without this document a caravan park cannot operate.
Attached to each site licence is a set of conditions. Licence conditions mainly relate to the provision of facilities on the site and the health and safety of the residents and/or visitors to the park.
The conditions cover such aspects as the distance from boundaries, the density and space between caravans, fire precautions and fire fighting provisions, electrical and gas installations, water supply, drainage and refuse disposal. The conditions are based on the ‘Model Standards’ produced by Central Government. The conditions vary depending upon the category of the site.
As well as the conditions set out by the 1989 model standards many sites have specific requirements which are attached to their planning consents. These are usually the consent for the specified area of land in use, and the period of time between which the site can be occupied.
A change in ownership of the site will require the new owner to apply for a site licence in their own right as there will be a change in ownership details on the licence. Accordingly the Council should also be advised when a site is sold and who the new owners are.
How do I get a licence for my site?
Applications for site licences are made to the local authority in whose area the land is situated.
In order to be eligible to be issued with a licence you must be entitled to use the land as a caravan site, a site licence cannot be issued without the appropriate planning permissions being in place. Should planning permission not have been granted please contact a member of Development Management first to establish how permission can be sought and applied for.
We can only issue a licence for a new caravan site after the site has received the necessary planning permission and a completed application for a site licence.
Queries relating to periods of occupation as detailed within the planning permission or the area of land in use should be directed to officers within Development Management in the first instance.
The Private Sector Housing Team can advise on the number of caravans per site and the conditions of the licence in place.
Programmed inspections are undertaken on all of the sites within the Wyre Forest District.
We can also be contacted regarding your application for site licence, if trying to find a licensed site within Wyre Forest, or if you need to speak to someone or report any concerns with any of the caravan sites.
Please contact Customer Services on 01562 732928 or write to:
Wyre Forest District Council
Economic Prosperity and Place
Private Sector Housing
Wyre Forest House
Finepoint Way
Kidderminster
DY11 7WF