Caravan and campsites
You will need to apply to us for a licence if you are going to run a caravan or campsite on your property (there are some exemptions).
A site can range from a single caravan, tent or tourer on a small plot of land to large sites compromising of many units. There are 3 types of sites requiring a licence -
- Residential
- Holiday Sites
- Tents and Tourers
Planning permission
Planning legislation is the primary legislation that governs caravan site licences. A licence may only be issued after the relevant planning permission has been obtained for the site. It is recommended that before submitting an application for a site licence any potential applicant checks the planning permission for the land to be used as a caravan site. Without the correct planning permission being in place, a caravan site cannot be granted.
Two planning authorities cover the Derbyshire Dales area. One is the District Council based at the Town Hall in Matlock, and the other is the Peak District National Park Authority (PDNPA) based in Bakewell. Find a map detailing the national park area and the various constituent authorities with boundaries within it.
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 example - if planning permission only allows a site to be occupied between 1 March and 31 October each year, then the caravan site licence will only be granted for the same period.
Residential sites (Mobile Home Parks)
Fit and Proper Persons Test
The Mobile Homes (Requirement for Manager of Site to be Fit and Proper Person) (England) Regulations 2020 (“the Regulations”) introduced a fit and proper person test for mobile home site owners or the person appointed to manage the site, unless exempted by the Regulations.
The implementation of the new regulations required site owners, or the person appointed to manage the site, to apply to the District Council to be included on the register of fit and proper persons. It is a criminal offence for site manager/owners not to apply.
Anyone applying has to show that there are suitable financial and management arrangements in place for the site and to provide information relating to their conduct in relation to the following:
- Offences relating to fraud, dishonesty, violence, arson or drugs or listed in schedule 3 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003.
- Contraventions of law in relation to: housing, caravan sites, mobile homes, public health, planning or environmental health or landlord and tenant law.
- Contraventions of law in relation to the Equality Act 2010, or in connection with the carrying out of any business.
- Harassment of any person in connection with the carrying out of any business.
- Insolvency within the last 10 years.
- Disqualification from acting as a company director within the last 10 years.
- Has the right to work in the UK
The legislation requires that the fit and proper person must be the person with day-to-day responsibility for managing a site, whether that is the site owner or a person appointed to undertake the task on the owner’s behalf. Anyone applying for a new site licence, or the transfer of a site licence to a new owner, will need to apply to have themselves or the site manager included on the register.
The applicant will need to provide a basic criminal record disclosure (Disclosure and Barring Service certificate). The certificate must be dated no more than 6 months before the date of the application. The DBS certificate must be from an approved supplier.
Fees are payable for certain residential sites classed as relevant protected sites under the Mobile Homes Act 2013. This includes:
- application for a new site licence
- the annual site inspection (fee charged per pitch)
- transfer of licence
- amendment of licence conditions
- depositing site rules with the council
These fees are currently under review.
Residential Park Rules
Under the Mobile Homes Act 2013, Site Owners must deposit a copy of their Site Rules with the District Council so that a master copy is kept on record. The Site Owner may set their own Site Rules on Residential Caravan & Park Home Sites. The Council does not enforce these rules, although some rules may duplicate some of the Site Licence Conditions.
The Site Rules will generally cover issues regarding the day-to-day running of a park and are part of the contract between the home owner and Site Owner; these supplement the Mobile Homes Act Agreement.
The Site Licence Conditions are issued by the Council and cover various health & safety issues including spacing between caravans, electrical safety, installation and maintenance of fire fighting equipment. Compliance with these Conditions form the basis of a caravan site inspection.
Public Register of Deposited Site Rules
The Council is required to keep and publish a Register of Site Rules. We will keep this page updated.
The rules deposited with the District Council have been produced by the Site Owners, and not Derbyshire Dales District Council. These rules may not necessarily reflect the views of the Local Authority and any queries in respect of the rules should be referred to the Site Owner(s).
Details of Residential Parks and Site Rules in the Derbyshire Dales
Licensed Site: Peaklands Park, High street, Stoney Middleton, Hope Valley, S32 4TL
Licensed for up to 20 Homes.
Fit and Proper Person: William Craig Laird, Director Manager, Laird Estates Group Holdings Limited, Four Arches, Warrant Road, Market Drayton, TF9 2DZ
Date added to Register: 30 September 2021
Site Rules for Peaklands Park Mobile Home Park, Stoney Middleton can be requested by emailing
Holiday sites
A Holiday Caravan Site Licence Application is required from the Site Operator, when planning permission has been granted for the siting of caravans on any land within the Derbyshire Dales district.
Any planning conditions imposed will also apply to any Caravan Site Licence granted by the District Council. For example, if your planning permission allows use of the site for 10 static caravans with an occupancy period of 15th March - 31st October, then the Caravan Site Licence will be issued with those same restrictions. The Caravan Site Licence cannot allow additional caravans or a longer season than has been approved by planning.
If the site is sold, the site licence must be transferred from the previous owner to the new owner and where a site has had a change in planning permission for a change in the number of caravans or to change the length of the season, a Licence update will be required.
Holiday Occupancy
The majority of Caravan Sites in the Derbyshire Dales have planning permission and a Caravan Site Licence for holiday use only. This means that the occupants are unable to use the site as their sole or main place of residence.
Site owners are advised to keep an up-to-date register of who is occupying the site to ensure that there is no breach of the occupancy conditions of both the planning permission or the Caravan Site Licence. Site Operators may also wish to ask customers for documented proof of their permanent home address. This may include but is not limited to, Passport, Driving Licence, Council Tax bills/other utility bills, that show their customers have a sole or main place of residence other than their holiday caravan.
Tent and tourers
Section 269 Public Health Act 1936 gives the local authority powers to control the use of movable dwellings and to licence the use of land as a site for such as a dwelling.
If the land is to be used for more than 28 days in total in any calendar year, planning permission must be obtained. A site which is used for more than 42 days consecutively or 60 days in total in any consecutive 12 months, must have a site licence for the area concerned.
Sites with planning permission for mixed accommodation provisions, including tents, will be licensed as a single site under the Caravan and Control of Development Act 1960. In this case, in reference to the required standards, tents will be treated as touring units. However, if an area of a site is used for the siting of tents but does not have the relevant planning consent it will be licensed separately under Section 269 Public Health Act 1936.
A local authority may grant or refuse a licence allowing use of a site. If you are granted a licence the local authority may also attach conditions to ensure safety and a basic level of amenities.
Exempt and certified sites
Not all caravan sites are required to be licenced by the Local Authority. Exemptions exist for:
Caravans
A caravan sited within the curtilage of a dwelling and its use is incidental/ancillary to the dwelling. This means the caravan cannot be occupied separately from the main dwelling.
- 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 five caravans certified by an exempt organisation and which are for members only.
- Sites occupied by the Local Authority.
- Sites for temporary and special purposes such as caravan rallies, agricultural and forestry workers, building and engineering sites and travelling salesmen.
Tents, Campervans & Motor Homes
New Permitted Development Regulations, recently approved permit use of land as a camping site for up to 60 days for a maximum of 50 units. This exemption only applies to tents, campervans & motorhomes and does not include caravans.
These sites are permitted under Class B, Part 4 of The Town & Country Planning (General Permitted Develop etc) (England) (Amendment) Order 2023 (Temporary Recreational Campsites).
Any moveable structure i.e. amenity buildings for toilet & shower facilities and/or waste disposal facilities that are reasonably necessary for the purpose of the campsite, may be permitted under these exemptions, but they are required to be removed from the land after the last date that the site is in use as a campsite, in each calendar year.
Is planning permission required for an Exempt site?
Planning Permission is not usually required if the caravan site is operating under a valid Exemption Certificate from a lawful Exempted Organisation. However, it is always advisable to check with the Local Planning Authority whether permission is needed.
How to apply for an exemption
The district council is not the body responsible for licensing or inspecting Exempted or Certified Location (CL) Sites. If you would like to make an application for an Exemption Certificate please visit the Gov.UK website for further information and to download the application form.
Caravan and Camping Site licence conditions
The Council may attach conditions to a site licence to cover any of the following issues:
- restricting when caravans can be on the site for human habitation or restricting the number of caravans that can be on the site at any one time
- controlling the types of caravans on the site
- controlling the positioning of the caravans or regulating the use of other structures and vehicles including tents
- to ensure steps are taken enhance the land, including planting/replanting bushes and trees
- fire safety and firefighting controls
- to ensure that sanitary and other facilities, services and equipment are supplied and maintained
Derbyshire Dales District Council's Licence Conditions
Licence conditions for touring caravan sites
Licence conditions for static caravan sites
Licence conditions for residential caravan sites
Licence conditions for camping sites
How to apply for a caravan or camping licence
An application form for a Holiday Caravan Site Licence can be downloaded and submitted with accompanying site plan and any supporting documents by email, to
Download an application form for a Camping Site Licence.
These 2 application types do not attract an application fee.
Amending an existing site licence
There is no legal mechanism under for a site licence holder to amend a site licence, therefore if you wish to change any aspect of an existing licence, you will need to submit a new application.
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.
Offences and penalties
It is an offence for a site licence holder to fail to comply with any conditions attached to the licence. If the local authority is satisfied that a breach of a condition under a site licence has occurred, in the first instanced it can instigate proceedings in the Magistrates’ Court. If, after having been convicted of breaching site licence conditions (s) on three or more occasions, a site licence holder continues to breach conditions of the licence, the local authority may instead of instigating further proceedings, apply to the Magistrates’ Court to have their licence revoked. Where revocation is ordered, another licence may not be issued in respect of land to the same holder for at least three years.
Local Authority - Powers of Entry
Authorised officers of the authority have the right to enter (having given 24 hours' notice) at all reasonable hours, any land which is used as a caravan site, or where an application for a site licence has been made.
