Caravan site licences

The legislation governing park homes and caravans is unique, complex and has recently been changed by the Government.

If you think you should have a site licence or if you want information, contact Private Sector Housing by calling 01483 444371 or emailing: regulatoryservices@guildford.gov.uk.

Although every effort will be made to keep this information accurate and current, it should only be seen as a guide. You should always make further enquiries from the Council or other agencies that specialise in this field.

Site licence conditions

If you use land as a caravan site you will almost always need planning permission and a site licence from the Council.

Every site licence will have site licence conditions attached to it. These conditions set out standards governing the layout of the park, provision of facilities and the maintenance of the park. We are responsible for ensuring that site licence conditions are met by the park owner.

Standard site licence conditions for residential parks [70.27KB]
Standard site licence conditions for recreational parks [37.98KB]

Licence applications

If you require a licence, you must apply to us by completing the online application and submit and pay online. For a new application go to the Gov.UK caravan site licence page.

To transfer an existing licence go to Gov.UK's application to transfer a caravan and camping site licence page. Note the application for a transfer must be supported by the existing licence holder, this is a legal requirement.

Alternatively, you can download and post the site licence application form. [34.1KB] You must also submit a scale plan of the site and, in some cases, we may request further information from the applicant.

In most cases a licence fee is payable, please see our fee policy. [84.84KB] View our fees from 1 April 2019. [69.31KB] You should also contact us if you wish to make changes to your licence, as this may also require a fee.

We aim to process the licence within two months of receiving a complete application, or within six weeks of the proposed licence holder receiving planning consent if the licence application has been submitted before this. In some circumstances this may be extended, we will write to you if this will happen.

Will tacit consent apply?

Yes. This means you will be able to act as though your application has been granted if you have not heard from us within the target completion period. The target period begins once all the information required has been received.

Failed applications and licence holder redress

The Council can refuse the licence if there is no planning consent, if the courts have prevented a licence being issued, or other reasons prescribed in the Mobile Homes Act 2014 and associated regulations. No licence will be granted if the licence applicant has had a site licence revoked within the previous three years. If we refuse to issue or transfer a licence we will give written reasons for this.

If a licence holder is refused an application to alter a condition, or they wish to appeal against a licence condition or changes to licence conditions, they may appeal to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber). The appeal must be made within 28 days of being issued with the licence. For licence alterations the licence holder must appeal within 28 days of being notified in writing of the alteration to, or the refusal to alter the licence condition and must serve a notice of appeal on the Council. We recommend that you contact us in the first instance.

Enforcement of the licence

Once issued, the Council can alter the licence conditions at any time. We will give licence holders opportunity to make representation about any proposed changes.

From 1 April 2014, the Council has new powers to take enforcement action for a breach of licence conditions. A compliance notice may be served upon a site owner, listing the necessary action to address the issues. If the terms are not complied with, the local authority may decide to prosecute in a magistrates' court.

In emergency situations where the site owner has failed to comply with a site condition and their actions present an imminent risk to the health and safety of others we may decide to take action ourselves and recover the costs of carrying out the work. There is also a right to appeal if the site owner considers that it was unreasonable for the action to be taken or that the residents on the site were not in imminent risk of serious harm.

Site rules

The site owner may set site rules on residential caravan sites. The Council does not enforce these rules, although some rules may be a duplicate of the site licence conditions. The site rules are part of the contract between the home owner and site owner, and supplement the Mobile Homes Act Agreement.

The Council is required to keep and publish a register of site rules. We will update this page when we are notified by site owners that rules are in force. The rules that appear below have been written by the site owners, and not Guildford Borough Council.

Site rules for Chapel Farm Park, Guildford Road, Normandy, Guildford GU3 2BB

Site rules for Pound Lane Park, Pound Lane, Wood Street Village, Guildford GU3 3DT

Site rules for Dolley's Hill Mobile Home Park, Pirbright Road, Normandy, Guildford GU3 2AQ

Site rules for Manor Grove, Gambles Lane, Ripley, Woking, Surrey GU23 6HS

Site rules for Barataria Park, Papercourt Lane, Ripley, Woking, Surrey GU23 6DR

Site rules for Surrey Hills Park, Normandy, Guildford, Surrey GU3 2AZ

Site rules for Willows Park, Guildford Road, Normandy, Guildford, Surrey GU3 2BJ

Site rules for the Oaks Park, Normandy, Guildford, Surrey GU3 2BQ

Site rules for Woodlands Park, Manor Road, Ash, Guildford, Surrey GU12 6QF

Site rules for Grove Heath Court, Gambles Lane, Ripley, Surrey GU23 6HL

Site rules for Fairoaks Residential Park, Aldershot Road, Worplesdon, Guildford GU3 3HG

Site rules for Dagley Farm, Shalford, Surrey GU4 8DE.