Latest UK Motorhome Stopover News

For listings see our UK Stopovers page

See below for a resume of the legislation regarding Stopovers

Peak District stopovers decision reversed
15/6/2010
Staffordshire Moorlands District Council tell us that their original information, confirming that motorhomes could stay overnight in the car parks at Castleton and Edale, was incorrect. Overnight sleeping in vehicles is not permitted.

We find this very disappointing and had hoped for a more enlightened attitude, such as that prevailing in Powys where motorhomes are welcomed for one night in seven in many car parks.

If anyone feels inclined to comment, there is a 'Customer Feedback - Non-Resident' form available from this page on the Staffordshire Moorlands website

Our advice would be to suggest that you visit the lovely towns and countryside in Powys and give the Peak District a miss!

Teignbridge District Council suspend overnight parking for motorhomes at Dawlish Warren
Overnight parking for motorhomes has been suspended at the popular Dawlish Warren Car Park. The council say:

"The Council had recently agreed to further extend Dawlish Warren Landward car park as a location for overnight parking for motor homes. The use of this area for overnight stays for motor home users has proven to be particularly popular and the council has decided to apply for the necessary formal consent to move to a permanent arrangement. Regrettably, existing legal exemptions available to the council do not permit the continued use of this land for the overnight stays without the necessary consent and therefore there can be no further overnight stays until further notice. Should we be successful in obtaining consent, our website at www.teignbridge.gov.uk will be updated and use can recommence. If you have any enquiries, please contact Parking Services at: 01626 215859 or email parking.services@teignbridge.gov.uk"

The problem is that, although a 'site licence' is not required, by virtue of the exemption allowed because the land is in the control of the local authority, this particular exemption does not confer 'permitted development rights', so planning permission is required.

New location for the Nightstop Scheme
Riverside Guest House & Cafe, Llanyegryn Street, Abergynolwyn, LL36 9YR
See the Motorhome Stopovers Listing for details

NEW!
All the stopovers on our listings now have GPS coordinates and links to a Google Map and Streetview.

First official stopover for Dorset!
After contacting Swanage Town Council we are pleased to be able to confirm that motorhomes are allowed to stay overnight at the Main Beach Car Park. One night (6pm to 9am) is allowed with no return within 7 days. Full details on our Stopovers page.

Teignmouth to close one of its stopovers
3/3/10
Following a review of parking strategy by Teignbridge District Council, overnight parking will no longer be allowed at the Eastcliff Beach car park, it will remain free at Dawlish Warren with a 48 hour maximum stay which will be enforced by the issue of Penalty Notices to overstayers.

New Stopovers in Cornwall!
Truro City Football Club confirm that motorhomes may park overnight, overnight stays allowed in Mevagissey car park, details in our listings

New stopover in Devon!
Following a discussion that we have had with Exeter City Council Parking Services they have agreed that one night stays by motorhomes will be 'tolerated' at the Matford Park and Ride car park. There are limited spaces available in the large vehicle parking bays, outside the P&R car park which has a height barrier. See our listings for the details.

New stopover in The Lake District!
A new 'motorhome camping' area has been set up in Ambleside, Cumbria. The owner tells us that it is run along the lines of the French 'aires' system. Currently (Feb 2010) there is only a water supply, but a toilet disposal facility will be installed as soon as ground conditions allow. There is no electric hook-up, and of course no showers or toilets. See our listings for details

Nightstop Scheme from Practical Motorhome
Practical Motorhome magazine has joined forces with The Motor Caravanner's Club to launch Nightstop, a scheme to provide overnight stops for motorhomes.

The locations are inspected and approved by the Club and given Exemption Certificates, thus complying with current legislation. There is information on the scheme in the Practical Motorhome website, or for more details contact nightstop@practicalmotorhome.com

We include all the sites in our listings.

Aire Driveways
Aire Driveways UK is a new scheme which was launched in 2009. Motorhome owning members can offer their driveway for other members to use as an overnight stop. For details see the website: www.airedrivewaysuk.co.uk

Motorhomestopover club
A Club with paid membership has negotiated permission for motorhomes to stay overnight at pubs. Members will be able to park up overnight at pubs which have joined the scheme and the first night will be free. There are over 400 sites, listings are available to members only. For full details see the scheme website: www.motorhomestopover.co.uk

When asked how the scheme would meet the requirements of the Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act, they told us: "With regards to the Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act, we are not providing camping; we are providing parking with the consent of the owner."

First Irish Aire de Service (Feb 08)
The first motorhome Aire de Service has been set up in Askeaton. County Limerick. Although not a UK stopover we thought it was an important development, you can read more here.

For more about aires, and details on the setting up of one at Broughshane in Northern Ireland, see our article.

Here at UKMotorhomes.net we are right behind all campaigns to promote the introduction of motorhome stopovers in the UK and hope to be able to work with anyone to further the cause.

If you have any information about local initiatives to set up motorhome stopovers - let us know using our contact form

Legislation regarding Stopovers

In law, at least as regards the places where they may be stationed for the purposes of human habitation, motorhomes are included within the definition of a 'caravan' . The Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act (1960), states that a caravan is defined as:

" ... any structure designed or adapted for human habitation which is capable of being moved from one place to another (whether by being towed, or by being transported on a motor vehicle or trailer) and any motor vehicle so designed or adapted ..."

The Act introduced the licencing of caravan sites, and defines a 'caravan site' as " ... land on which a caravan is stationed for the purposes of human habitation and land which is used in conjunction with land on which a caravan is so stationed." Certain exemptions are allowed from the licencing requirements of the Act, these include:

" ... the use of land as a caravan site if the use is incidental to the enjoyment as such of a dwellinghouse within the curtilage of which the land is situated."
Meaning that, for example, you may occupy a caravan situated in your garden.

" ... the use of land as a caravan site by a person travelling with a caravan who brings the caravan on to the land for a period which includes not more than two nights—
(a)
if during that period no other caravan is stationed for the purposes of human habitation on that land or any adjoining land in the same occupation, and
(b)
if, in the period of twelve months ending with the day on which the caravan is brought on to the land, the number of days on which a caravan was stationed anywhere on that land or the said adjoining land for the purposes of human habitation did not exceed twenty-eight. "
This is the exemption which permits pubs, for example, to allow a motorhome to stay overnight on their car park. However only one motorhome is permitted at any one time and the landowner can only permit his land to be used for a maximum of 28 days in any period of 12 months. It does not, of course, give a right to station a caravan on any land, it simply means that the landowner does not need a caravan site licence. There may also be other, local, restrictions in force which prevent landowners permitting the stationing of a caravan on their land.

" ... land as respects which there is in force a certificate issued under this paragraph by an exempted organisation if not more than five caravans are at the time stationed for the purposes of human habitation on the land to which the certificate relates.
(2) For the purposes of this paragraph an exempted organisation may issue as respects any land a certificate stating that the land has been approved by the exempted organisation for use by its members for the purposes of recreation."
This allows 'Exempted Organisations' such as The Caravan Club, The Camping and Caravanning Club, and the Motor Caravanner's Club, among others, to set up CL (Certificated Location) and CS (Certificated Site) sites for use by their members. Whether the use of the sites is restricted to members only is up to the individual clubs to decide. As far as we know only the Motor Caravanner's Club allows non-members to use its CS sites.

" ... land occupied by the local authority in whose area the land is situated."
This is the most interesting exemption as far as the setting up of Stopovers is concerned, it allows local authorities to permit motorhomes to stay overnight on, for example, car parks or other land in their control.