Certificated site facts

The Camping and Caravanning Club, established in 1901, is permitted by Natural England, The Scottish Government, The Welsh Assembly and The Northern Ireland Government to issue Certificates to landowners who wish to set up small campsites. The Club holds a Certificate of Exemption under Section 269 (6) of the 1936 Public Health Act, as well as Section 2 of the First Schedule to the Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act 1960, which permits the Club to establish small campsites without the need to obtain planning permission.

A Certificated Site, or CS as we refer to them, are small, privately run campsites operated exclusively for members of the Club. CSs can take a maximum of five caravans or motorhomes at any one time for up to 28 consecutive days, allowing space of six metres between each unit. If space permits, the site can also accept a maximum of ten tents, unless express permission has been granted by the Club to accommodate more.

To set up a site, the landowner must have a minimum of half an acre of land, provide safe access to and from the site, a dustbin that’s regularly emptied, a drinking water supply and a chemical disposal point (a facility for the campers to empty their chemical toilets). The site will be inspected annually by the Club to ensure that the site meets our expectations.

There are many different reasons why landowners choose to look into having their own Certificated Sites, whether it’s for extra income, or just the pleasure of meeting new people, making friends, or sharing the beautiful surroundings with others.

Should the application be successful, the site would be occupied by responsible members of the Club, who are bound by our code of conduct to respect the surrounding environment, including wildlife and nearby residents.

Irrespective of the fact that our exemptions permits the Club to establish small campsites, we will always consult with potentially directly affected residents, and the appropriate Local Authority, in order to ascertain whether there are any valid objections to the Club issuing a Certificate of Exemption to the landowner.

Our local Site Officer will hand deliver a letter informing potentially directly affected residents of the proposed campsite. If you have any comments regarding the establishment of this site, please write to the Exempted Camping Department at the following address, or via email, stating the site reference number as indicated on the letter received, and within 28 days of the date at the top of the letter, clearly detailing your concerns.

Please be assured that your comments will be given serious consideration during the application process.

Exempted Camping Department
The Camping and Caravanning Club
Greenfields House
Westwood Way
Coventry
CV4 8JH


Tel: 024 7647 5131 
Email address: csenquiries@campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk 

All Certificated Sites are limited to a maximum of 5 caravans or motorhomes at any one time. If space permits, the site can also accept a maximum of ten tents, unless express permission has been granted by the Club to accommodate more.

Unfortunately, the maximum permitted number of caravans/motorhomes to be accommodated legally onsite is five. Tents are restricted to a maximum of ten unless express permission has been granted by the Club to accommodate more. 

Camping units are only permitted to stay onsite for a maximum of 28 days during any one stay.

Generally, a Certificated Site is open during the main camping season, which is March to October. However, CSs can choose to operate all year round, which whilst permitted by the Club, must be appropriately designed and properly maintained throughout the opening period.

All Certificated Sites receive an annual visit from our Site Officers. During the visit, the Site Officer will ensure that the site is operating at the standards expected by the Club.

The Club will always fully investigate any complaints made in writing concerning a Certificated Site.

The Club’s network of CSs are for the exclusive use of Club members. Non-members must join the Club prior to camping onsite.

Certificated Sites are purely for recreational touring purposes, and does not legalise the use of the land for unit storage. 

Yes, please contact the Exempted Camping Department on 024 7647 5198 with the appropriate site reference number which is detailed on our letter, and we will send you a copy. Please be aware that there might be a slight delay depending on when we receive the Site Officer’s report.

The Club has a strict policy of not releasing any documentation to third parties, unless to a law enforcement agency. This also applies to correspondence received from local residents.

The Club does not permit any vehicle movement, or noise onsite, between the hours of 11pm and 7am. Our members are also bound by our code of conduct to respect the surrounding environment, including wildlife and nearby residents.

Our members are used to staying on campsites where the owner doesn’t live onsite. Please be assured that our members are respectful of the surrounding environment, wildlife and nearby residents. We will always insist that site owners visit the campsite on a daily basis to ensure that the site is maintained to our expectations, and that they provide an emergency contact number for campers onsite.

The Club stipulates that all Certificated Sites have either have a sealed container underground which is emptied by tanker, or direct access to mains drains.

Toilets and showers do not form part of the basic requirements to establish a Certificated Site. Should the site owner wish to provide these facilities, they must contact their local authority as planning permission may be required.

Should the access track be part owned by another resident, then written permission will be required from all associated parties, giving permission to use it for accessing the proposed Certificated Site.

Our Site Officers will fully assess the suitability of the proposed Certificated Site during their onsite visit, including whether an increase of traffic could be detrimental to the local environment. We also find that Certificated Sites are not full to capacity even during peak seasons, and that the increase in traffic is usually minimal.

As part of the Site Officer’s onsite report, they will assess whether the proposed Certificated Site requires additional screening. The Club can, and does, insist on erecting additional screening where appropriate.

The Club’s exemptions to the site licensing requirements of the 1936 Public Health Act, and the First Schedule to the Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act 1960, specifically permits the Club to establish small campsites without the need to apply for planning permission, and is considered permitted development.

Where a proposed site is located within a flood zone, we will insist that the owners have a flood plan in case of flooding.

Whilst the Club will endeavour to establish Certificated Sites that are connected to the mains water supply, we do permit other sources of water to be available such as, springs and boreholes. However, we will require annual water test certificates.

During our Site Officer’s visit, they will consider the impact a Certificated Site, which is limited in numbers, will have on local residents. The Site Officer will only leave hand delivered letters with those properties that they believe could be directly affected.

Having an Exemption certificate does not entitle a landowner to have a license from their Local Authority. Landowners would have to apply for a license through the normal procedures.