We licence park home sites (also known as “Relevant Protected Sites”) under the Caravan sites and Control of Development Act 1960 as amended by the Mobile Homes Act 2013.
To make sure certain standards are achieved, we may place conditions on the licences. We must take into account the set of model conditions that the government has produced and may add some or all of these conditions. The model conditions relate to:
- the density and spacing of park homes
- roads, gateways, paths and hard standings
- fire safety
- storage of LPG cylinders
- the electrical installation
- the water supply, drainage and waste disposal facilities
- car parking and site notices
The holder of the park home licence has a legal responsibility to comply with these conditions and it is normal for us to regularly inspect sites to make sure that sites are not in breach.
Certain sites may be exempt from these requirements, for example, if:
- they are infrequently used or controlled by an exempted organisation such as the Caravan Club
- they are sites we own
Contact us if you are concerned whether a site complies with its conditions.
Licenced sites
See the register of licenced park home sites in Dorset.
2024 fees
An increase of 5% has been applied from 2023 fees.
Annual licence fee per site
Band 1 (1 to 10) : £89
Band 2 (11to 35): £148
Band 3 (36 to 71): £302
Band 4 (71 to 106): £487
Band 5 (107 to 142): £608
After band 5, it costs £126 for every 35 additional units.
Other fees
New park home licence: £831 per licence
Minor amendment of a licence: £49
Major amendment of a licence (including change of ownership, change to conditions or site layout): £1172
Deposit of site rules: £56 per set of rules
| Financial year | Number of site inspections | Number of actions for all sites (letters, emails, telephone calls etc.) | Estimated cost | Income from annual fees | Yearly position | Overall position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019/20 | 21 | 72 | £7,732.67 | £9,634.32 | £1,902 | £1,902 |
| 2020/21 | 22 | 281 | £12,588.48 | £11,117 | -£1,471 | £430 |
| 2021/22 | 10 | 84 | £10,326.82 | £11,524.50 | £1,198 | £1,628 |
| 2022/23 | 18 | 656 | £22,807 | £12,849 | -£9,958 | -£8,330 |
| 2023/24 | 27 | 125 | £19,039 | £12,114 | -£6,925 | -£15,255 |
Deficit: £15,255
Inspections are calculated from estimated times shown in the park homes fees policy.
Actions are based on an estimate of 30 minutes per action and include:
- letters
- emails
- telephone calls
Site rules
We must lodge all site rules that have been properly adopted by park home sites. We do not have any enforcement powers to object or arbitrate on site rules that have been lodged. If you disagree or want to challenge specific rules on your site you should seek legal advice. The Leasehold Advisory Service provides help and advice to residents about park rules.
The register of licenced park home sites shows if a site has lodged a set of rules. Copies of individual site rules can be provided upon request.
Fit and proper person register
See the fit and proper person register.
Apply to be added to the register
Other applications
Site owners have 3 months to make an application if the circumstances relating to the nominated fit and proper person change in relation to an existing caravan site.
For example, if:
- there is a transfer of a site licence
- there is a change in management of a site
- a person has been removed from the register by the local authority
Fees
It costs £284 per application.
Yearly fee for existing entry on the fit and proper persons register:
- £0 standard conditions
- £63 for each additional specific condition
If we appoint a site manager, we will recover all reasonable costs incurred in making the appointment.
Contact us
Housing standards team
Name: Housing standards teamEmail: caravantentparksite@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk
Tel: call customer services on 01305 221000
Full contact details