Planning permission
Planning permission for new parks may be very difficult to obtain, particularly in the more popular tourist areas. Where they are granted, it is in accordance with the Town and Country Planning Act. Lots of information may be found on the official government website www.planning.odpm.gov.uk
Site Licence
Once the park has planning permission, a licence may be awarded by the Environmental Health Department of the Local Authority, and permits the park to run, but with certain conditions attached. Conditions may be imposed on such aspects as number of pitches, type of caravan permitted, toilet facilities, roads, services, fire prevention, pitch spacing, park layout, play areas, entertainment, licensing etc.
Chalets
These are not subject to a Site Licence. They are still regulated by local planning laws, however.
Tents Site Licences above only apply to caravans, and not tents. Instead, tents must be licensed under the Public Health Act, which will have very similar conditions to those of caravan licences. There is an exception, known as '28 day tenting' whereby parks may use unlicensed fields for tent accommodation for not more than 28 days in a year. This is useful for peak months in the summer to cope with excess demand.
CLs
Certificated Locations can be granted by an organisation like the Caravan Club whereby they issue a certificate for the use of land for not more than 5 caravans or motorhomes at any one time, and this must be restricted to club members only.