Certificated Site

We have been awarded certification from Natural England to allow our members and guests of members to enjoy the great outdoors and of course, learn all about the importance to the country code and the keeping to it

As a not for profit organization spending profits back into the community for community good and having the constitution of a club we were happy to receive a certification of an exempt organisation which allows us (with a couple of exceptions ) to manager to delegate the management of caravan and campsites in the countryside under our direct or indirect control .

An exemption certificate is an exemption from Planning consent for the local authority and is subject to our own checks of suitability judgment of suitability judged on neighbours comments, Habitats vulnerability, nonsense factors and light /noise /occupancy contamination.  

The Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015 grants planning permission for various forms of development as set out in its schedules.  Schedule 2 Part 5 grants planning permission for the change of use of land to caravan sites and recreational campsites.

Class A permits the change of use of land to use as a caravan site for categories of use exempted from the need to hold a caravan site license; in this instance, the Norfolk Camping CIC holds three such exemptions.

• part 4: exempt organisation can have unlimited caravans and tents on the land they administer 
• part 5: the exempt organisation give a certificate "certificated site" to a 3rd party to have 5 caravans (motorhomes/caravans, campervans ) and typically 10 tents (1-year licence renewable yearly )
• part 6: the exempt organisation runs and administers A rally typically for 5 days for unlimited caravans and tents 

b) For caravans (including motor homes and campervans): For land to be used as a caravan site it must be licensed and planning permission is usually necessary. However, Section 2 of and the First Schedule to the Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act 1960 (“the 1960 Act”) provide exemptions from the need for a site licence or planning permission. Part 5 Class A of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995 (“the 1995 Order”) permits the use of land as a touring caravan site where a caravan exemption certificate has been issued.

a) Paragraph 4: Sites Occupied & Supervised by Exempted Organisations This type of exemption would allow an organisation to occupy a site for the purpose of recreation. Organisations holding this type of exemption have considerable freedoms in arranging and supervising caravan site facilities. They do not require express planning permission or a site licence from a local authority nor is there a limit to their occupation of a site. We therefore expect holders of paragraph 4 exemption certificates to acknowledge that the freedoms they enjoy implicitly carry certain responsibilities. In particular, we have agreed with the major caravan organisations, including The Association of Caravan and Camping Exempted Organisations (ACCEO) that we would expect that an organisation would limit its occupation of a site to no more than 28 days on the site, at any one time. In addition: • A member of the organisation must be appointed to supervise on-site activity. • Organisations must have the legal status to enable them to enter into an agreement with the landowner or manager, which gives them control over the site. • Organisations are expected to consult local planning authorities about sites before they use them. We would normally expect organisations not to use sites to which a Local Authority maintains a valid objection. • Non-members are allowed to attend such rallies.

• No more than 5 caravans can be stationed on a paragraph 5 site at any one time.
• Before issuing a certificate an exempted organisation is expected to have a system for consulting neighbours and the relevant local licensing authority
• Organisations which issue certificates are also expected to have systems in place to inspect their sites to check that the terms of the certificate are being observed; and for dealing with any inquiries or complaints from the public about their sites.
• Certificates are to be issued to the occupiers of the land
• Each organisation must send details of certificates it has issued to the relevant exemption certificate issuing body.

c) Paragraph 6: Meetings Organised by Exempted Organisations Under this exemption an organisation may use a site for a meeting of its members, lasting not more than 5 days (see Frequently Asked Question Number 14). Additionally:

• The meeting must be supervised by a member of the organisation appointed for the purpose.
• Non-members are not permitted to attend such meetings.

Exemption certificates are intended to help encourage and promote the recreational use of the countryside. Their issue is dependent upon organisations meeting the relevant criteria. In return for the considerable freedoms that arise through the issue of an exemption, organisations are expected to ensure their members behave responsibly at all times. Organisations should take adequate steps to minimise the impact of their activities. Noise, road congestion and units overlooking local properties are the complaints most frequently complained about Responsibilities of holding a certificate include the following areas of general good practice: a) an organisation should seek the views of the Local Planning Authority before making arrangements for a Paragraph 4 event (and if in any doubt a Paragraph 6 event), particularly those next to a commercial site, to ensure there are no planning restrictions or other objections to the use of a site, and to consider avoiding those sites if objections are raised; b) organisations should be sensitive to the concerns of local residents who may be affected by frequent or large-scale camping or caravanning activity, and to avoid overuse of popular sites; c) each organisation undertakes, via inclusion in its formal code of conduct, to thoroughly investigate complaints made about the activities of the organisation or its members; d) a named officer of the organisation is made responsible for holding the exemption certificate(s) and making a copy of it available for display and inspection at all events organised under them.

Paragraph 4 – both members and non-members of the organisation are permitted to use the site, provided they all remain under the supervision of the organisation occupying the site;

Paragraph 5 – exempted organisations issue certificates stating that a site has been approved for the use of its members. However, non-members may also use the site, unless there is an agreement between the site owner and the organisation that restricts its use to members only

Paragraph 6 – only for members of the organisation holding the meeting. Membership must have been given in advance of attending meetings and must be for a longer period than that associated with attendance at only one event (usually for a full year). Both the individual and the organisation must enter into a membership agreement with the intention that it is to run its full course (although there may be genuine reasons why an individual does not remain a member for the full term). An arrangement to give prospective members a trial to see what an organisation is like by inviting them to attend a meeting or by granting “temporary” membership is not allowed.

• information on subject matter

• concept : https://www.freedomcampingclub.org/seasonalpitches.asp