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Class B: Development Required by Caravan Site Licence Conditions
Class B of GPDO Part 5 grants planning permission for development that is required by the conditions of a caravan site licence that is currently in force under the Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act 1960.
Need help with permitted development?
Permitted development can avoid a full planning application, but only if the right applies and every relevant limit and condition is met. Planning Geek can check the planning history, Article 4 directions and other restrictions, and help with a lawful development certificate or prior approval where needed.
What Class B means in practice
Class B is very short, but the word required matters. The development must be required by a condition on the current site licence. It is not enough that the work would be useful, sensible or convenient for the caravan site.
Site licence conditions can deal with matters such as the physical layout of a site, spacing, roads, hardstandings, services, drainage, fire precautions and other site facilities. Where a current licence condition actually requires development, Class B can provide the planning permission for that development.
The starting point should therefore be the current site licence itself. Identify the exact condition and then ask what physical works are genuinely necessary to comply with it.
Planning permission and the site licence still do different jobs
A caravan site licence does not replace planning permission for the use of the land. A valid planning permission is a prerequisite for a site licence, and licence conditions cannot be imposed purely for planning reasons.
Class B bridges the two systems only where the licence condition requires development. It does not turn every licence condition into a new planning permission for something beyond the authorised caravan site.
Class B is not a shortcut to expand a caravan site
Class B should not be treated as permission to add more caravans than the planning permission allows, extend the caravan use onto extra land, change a holiday site to permanent residential occupation, or carry out unrelated buildings and works.
Those questions depend on the planning permission, the lawful use of the land and any other permitted development right that may apply. The licence cannot lawfully be used to rewrite the planning permission.
Evidence to keep before relying on Class B
- A complete copy of the current caravan site licence
- The exact licence condition said to require the development
- A plan or specification showing the work needed to comply with that condition
- The planning permission or lawful planning status for the caravan site
- Any correspondence from the licensing authority explaining the requirement
If the planning position is important to a sale, finance or enforcement risk, consider whether a lawful development certificate would provide useful certainty before carrying out the work.
If Class B does not apply
If the work is not genuinely required by a current site licence condition, another permitted development right or a planning application may be needed. Check the current cost on our planning application fees page.
If a planning application or lawful development certificate is refused, see our planning appeals guidance.
Relevant legislation for Class B
Class B: development on caravan site required by conditions
Permitted development
B. Development required by the conditions of a site licence for the time being in force under the 1960 Act.
Class B Page Updated: 23rd September 2026