Before applying, it is strongly recommended that you refer to the model standards that form the basis of conditions attached to a Caravan Site Licence (The 'licence').

Under the Caravan Sites and Control Of Development Act 1960 (The 'act'), a local authority is prohibited from granting a site licence to any person, organisation or company who has previously held a site licence, which has been revoked in the past three years.

To apply for a licence, applicants must provide details of the following in their application:

• the type of caravan site for which the licence is required - permanent, residential, seasonal or touring;
• the maximum number of caravans that are proposed to be stationed on site at any one time for the purpose of human habitation;
• a layout plan of the site, to a scale of not less than 1/500, showing the boundaries of the site, the positions of caravan standings, and, where appropriate, the positions of roads and footpaths, toilet blocks, stores and other buildings, food and surface water drainage, water supply, recreation spaces, fire points and parking spaces; and,
• details of the arrangements for refuse disposal and for sewage and wastewater disposal

To assist applicants, an application form has been devised to obtain the information outlined above. Please note that the application will need to be made in the name of the individual, organisation or company that occupies the land. This is usually the freeholder.

Planning permission - Planning legislation takes primacy over the legislation that governs caravan site licences. In other words, the licence may only be issued after the relevant planning permission has been obtained for the site. Therefore, it is recommended that before submitting an application that any potential applicant checks the planning permission permits the land to which it relates can be used as a caravan site. Without the correct planning permission being in place, a caravan site licence cannot be granted.

It is worth noting that as a caravan site licence can only be issued in accordance with planning permission, so if there are any relevant restrictions that form part of the permission then these will need to be mirrored on the site licence, if granted. For instance, if the planning permission only allows a site to be occupied between 1 March and 31 October, then the caravan site licence can not be granted beyond those months.

Evidence of land occupancy - Evidence of who owns the land must be provided with the application in the form of the 'Register of Title' and the 'Title Plan', which can both be obtained from the Land Registry.

Application process - Where the applicant already possesses the correct planning permission upon application for a licence, then the local authority must issue the licence within two months of the application submission date. If planning permission is not in place, then the licence cannot be issued until such time as the correct planning permission has been obtained. Under these circumstances the local authority has six weeks from the date of the planning permission being granted to issue the licence. In each case the period may be extended by written agreement between the applicant and the local authority.

The local authority can determine what conditions ought to be attached to the site licence.

Generally, there is no expiry date for a site licence. However, if the relevant planning permission is for a limited period, the site licence must expire at the same time as the planning permission.

There is no fee payable for submitting a caravan site licence application in respect of a holiday site.  Further details regarding fees associated with residential sites can be found at Fees for 'Relevant Protected Sites'.

If you have purchased a site then the site licence will need to be transferred. If this is the case then please contact Private Sector Housing on 01962 848 526 or at _privatesectorhousing@winchester.gov.uk