This licence is issued by the local authority in which the site is located, in terms of the Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act 1960

To operate a caravan site

• Planning consent is required before a licence can be issued.
• The applicant must be entitled to use the land as a caravan site.

• Residential - a site with permanent residents, with mobile homes which are continuously occupied as the occupiers' sole or main home.
• Holiday static - used by caravans which are placed on a site for all, or most, of the year but which are not continuously occupied as the occupiers' sole or main home.
• Holiday touring - used by caravans which are not permanently placed on a site throughout the year, or which are occupied only temporarily.
• Mixed sites - which have both permanent residents and holiday-use accommodation. Operators of such sites will require both a Residential caravan site licence and a Holiday caravan site licence.

A caravan site licence is not required in the following circumstances:

• Where a caravan is sited within the curtilage of a dwelling, and its use is incidental to the dwelling
• Where sites are occupied by exempted organisations such as the Caravan Club
• Where sites of up to five caravans certified by an exempt organisation and which are for members only
• Where sites are 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

Please note that this is not an exhaustive list and other exemptions may apply. If you require further information regarding possible exemptions please contact us.

List of camping and caravan organisations holding an exemption certificate

To apply for a caravan site licence, please download the caravan site licence application form below:

Once completed, the form, supporting paperwork and, if appropriate the application fee, should be returned to:

Assistant Business Manager Pollution Control & Public Health
North Lanarkshire Council
Protective Services Division
Station House
950 Old Edinburgh Road
Bellshill ML4 3FG

Please note that an applicant must not have had a site licence revoked within three years of the current application, otherwise the application will be automatically refused.

In addition to the application form, the following documents are required:

• A site layout plan.
• A detailed site plan at 1:500 scale.
• A copy of the planning consent giving permission for the land to be used as a caravan site.
• Up-to-date certificates for all electrical and gas installations on the site.
• Where applicable, maintenance plans for any Private Water Supply system.
• A copy of the written statement that the owner of a protected site is required to give to the proposed occupiers.

There is no fee for holiday touring and holiday static sites that are not occupied all year round.

The fees applied for initial and renewal applications for permanent residential sites are:

• Initial application - £600
• Application for renewal of an existing licence - £300

Payment must be made at the same time as submission of the completed application form.

Once the application, together with all supporting documentation and the relevant fee, has been received we will acknowledge receipt within 1 week. On receipt of a properly completed application and the supporting documentation and, if appropriate, the correct fee, we will consult with colleagues in:

• Planning
• Building Standards
• Trading Standards
• Housing
• Police Scotland and
• Scottish Fire and Rescue Service

On receiving an application for a Permanent Residential Caravan Site Licence, the council must decide if the potential licence holder and any other relevant person involved in management of the site are a "Fit and Proper Person". Not meeting the requirements of the test may result in a licence being refused.

The council may, under certain circumstances, share information and consult with other local authorities where it may be of relevance to the "Fit and Proper Person" test decision for the purposes of caravan site licensing. The law allows this information to be shared even if there is a duty of confidentiality owed to the person who is the subject of the information.

The council is required to make a decision within 3 months from the date that all information, together with the appropriate fee, is received. Tacit consent will apply for this licence. This means that where the application and all supporting documentation has been submitted electronically or by post and you can show proof of delivery, either by way of an electronic receipt or from a Post Office or recognised courier, as the case may be, you will be able to act as though your application is granted if you have not heard from us by the end of the three-month target completion period. This period can be extended once, if necessary, due to the complexity of the issue provided we notify you of the extension and its duration before the expiry of the original target completion period.

The application procedure also involves an inspection of the site by officers to ensure that the site occupier is complying with existing licence conditions and/or proposed licence conditions.

If your application for a caravan site licence is refused, or if the holder of an existing licence is refused an application to alter a condition of the licence, you have the right to appeal the decision.

Please contact us, in the first instance, to discuss the matter. If your application is still refused then you may appeal to the local Sheriff. The appeal must be made within 28 days of the written notification of refusal, and a notice of appeal must also be served on North Lanarkshire Council.

If your application for a caravan site licence is approved, we will issue you with a caravan site licence. This licence will include site licence conditions, which you will require to comply with. The site licence conditions will include, among other things:

• the type of caravan permitted, e.g. permanent static, static holiday or touring
• the maximum number of mobile homes to be stationed on the site and the permitted density (the number per acre/hectare) and the spacing between caravans
• the permitted opening period of the site
• ensuring sanitary and other facilities, water supply, drainage, services and equipment are supplied and maintained.
• The construction of roads and the requirement to provide access for emergency vehicles
• Requirements for pedestrian routes
• Requirements relating to gas and electricity supplies
• Requirements for lighting
• Ensuring arrangements are in place for the collection and disposal of waste

Fire safety is no longer included in the caravan site licensing regime, but all sites are still required to comply with current Fire Safety legislation. The responsibility for enforcement of Fire Safety on caravan sites rests with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS)

Any caravan site may be subject to regular routine inspection to ensure compliance with the site licence conditions. Failure to comply with licence conditions may result in enforcement action being taken.

Holiday caravan site licence (holiday static/holiday tourer)

Once a licence is issued it remains in place until either surrendered by the licence holder or revoked by the council.

Residential caravan site

A residential caravan site licence runs for a maximum of five years. If you intend to continue to operate the site as a residential caravan site, you will require to apply for renewal of their licence a minimum of 3 months before expiry of the current licence.

Please note that a caravan site licence runs in parallel with planning consent and, therefore, any site licence will expire at the same time as the planning consent expires.

The list of all licensed caravan sites within the council area can be found below.