The Council is responsible for the licensing of caravan and park home sites and for ensuring the conditions of the site licence are adhered to.
We have a duty to issue licences to all caravan sites within North Hertfordshire, providing the applicant has valid planning permission. We like to see and encourage good standards at our caravan sites. We respond to complaints about unsatisfactory caravans and caravan sites and we carry out regular programmed inspections of sites to ensure that they are complying with licence conditions.
Land being used as a caravan site requires a Caravan Site Licence (but there are some exceptions). The Council attaches any conditions to the licence. Site Licence conditions are designed to protect the health, safety and welfare of caravan occupants and cover issues like fire safety, drainage, distances between caravans etc.
Apply online
Apply by post or email
Please contact the Environmental Protection and Housing Team to obtain an application form. There is a fee for this application.
Fit and Proper Person Register
From 1 October 2021, unless the site is exempt, caravan site owners must:
- be a fit and proper person to lawfully operate a park home site, or
- have a fit and proper site manager in place
Under these regulations we must be satisfied that the owner of a mobile home site, or a person appointed by the owner, is a fit and proper person to manage the site.
Find out more about the Fit and Proper Person Register here.
Licence summary
To run a caravan site you need a licence from the local authority unless you are covered by one of the exemptions in the Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act 1960.
Conditions attached to a licence are designed to protect the health, safety and welfare of caravan occupants and may cover issues such as:
- restricting when caravans can be on the site for human habitation
- restricting the number of caravans that can be on the site at any one time
- the types of caravans on the site
- the positioning of the caravans or regulating the use of other structures and vehicles including tents
- to ensure steps are taken to enhance the land, including planting/replanting bushes and trees
- fire safety and fire fighting controls
- to ensure that sanitary and other facilities, services and equipment are supplied and maintained
Eligibility criteria
The applicant must be entitled to use the land as a caravan site. We will confirm that there is a valid planning permission for use of 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.
Regulation summary
This licence is granted under the Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act 1960.
Summary of the regulation relating to this licence
What happens next?
We aim to acknowledge receipt of application within three working days.
Once an application is received, one of our officers will carry out an inspection of the site. If the site is found to be fit for purpose you will be provided with a list of the conditions attached to your licence and the licence will be issued as soon as possible. If we decide to refuse your application, we will provide reason for doing so and explain your rights of appeal.
There is no statutory period for determining applications, however we aim to determine applications within 28 calendar days.
What happens if something changes?
Let us know if there are any changes to your site. You can do this online:
Tell us about a change to your existing caravan or camp site
Alternatively, contact us.
Public register
The Public Register of Licensed Caravan and Mobile Home Sites can be found below along with the site rules where these have been deposited with the Council.
Applicant / Licence holder redress
An applicant or licence holder can appeal against the refusal of the local authority to grant a licence or against any conditions that the local authority imposes on a licence to the local magistrates’ court.
Alternatively, if you are unhappy about the way that we have dealt with your application, please see our Comments, Compliments & Complaints or call us on 01462 474000.