Caravans Act (Northern Ireland) 1963

N.I. Miscellaneous and supplemental

22 Registers of site licences. N.I.

(1) Every [F1 district council] shall keep a register of site licences issued in respect of land situated in their [F1 district], and every such register shall be open for inspection by the public at all reasonable times.

(2) Where under sub-section (2) or sub-section (4) of section 10 a [F1 district council] endorse on a site licence the name of any person in the circumstances described in those sub-sections, they shall record his name, and the date entered in the licence, in the register of site licences.

F1 SRO (NI) 1973/285

23 Power of entry. N.I.

(1) Subject to the provisions of this section, [F2 a district council shall have] a right at all reasonable hours to enter any land which is used as a caravan site or in respect of which an application for a site licence has been made—

(a) for the purpose of enabling the [F2 district council] to determine what conditions should be attached to a site licence or whether conditions attached to a site licence should be altered;

(b) for the purpose of ascertaining whether there is, or has been, on or in connection with the land any contravention of the provisions of this Act;

(c) for the purpose of ascertaining whether or not circumstances exist which would authorise the [F2 district council] to take any action, or execute any work, under this Act;

(d) for the purpose of taking any action, or executing any work, authorised by this Act to be taken or executed by the [F2 district council];

so, however, that admission to any land shall not be demanded as of right under this section unless twenty-four hours notice of the intended entry has been given to the occupier.

(2) If it is shown to the satisfaction of a justice of the peace—

(a) that admission to any land has been refused, or that refusal is apprehended, or that the occupier of the land is temporarily absent and the case is one of urgency, or that an application for admission would defeat the object of the entry; and

(b) that there is reasonable ground for entering on the land for any such purpose as is mentioned in sub-section (1);

the justice may by warrant under his hand authorise the [F2 district council] …F3 to enter the land, if need be by force, but such a warrant shall not be issued unless the justice is satisfied that notice of the intention to apply for the warrant has been given to the occupier, or that the occupier is temporarily absent and the case is one of urgency, or that the giving of such notice would defeat the object of the entry.

(3) [F2 A district council] entering any land by virtue of this section, or of a warrant issued thereunder, may take with [F2 them] such other persons as may be necessary.

(4) Every warrant granted under this section shall continue in force until the purpose for which the entry is necessary has been satisfied.

(5) A person who wilfully obstructs any [F2 district council] acting in the execution of this section, or of a warrant under this section, shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding ten pounds.

[F4 (6) A district council may arrange for the discharge of any of their functions under this section by any of their officers and arrangements made under this sub-section shall include provision for any officer of the district council, seeking to exercise any power of entry on any land in pursuance of the arrangements, to exhibit the authority if required to do so.]

F2 SRO (NI) 1973/285

F3 SRO (NI) 1973/285

F4 SRO (NI) 1973/285

24 Crown land. N.I.

The provisions of this Act relating to site licences shall apply in relation to land the occupier of which is not the Crown notwithstanding that an estate or interest in the land belongs to the Crown.

25 Interpretation. N.I.

(1) In this Act—

• Definition rep. by 1991 NI 11

• [F5 “caravan” has the meaning given by section 15 of the Caravans Act (Northern Ireland) 2011;]

• “caravan site” has the meaning assigned to it by section 1(4);

• “existing site” has the meaning assigned to it by section 13;

• Definitions rep. by 1972 NI 17; SRO (NI) 1973/285

• “the Ministry” means the Ministry of Health and Local GovernmentF6 ;

• “occupier” has the meaning assigned to it by section 1(3);

• [F7 “the Planning Act” means the Planning Act (Northern Ireland) 2011;]

• Definition rep. by 1991 NI 11

• “site licence” has the meaning assigned to it by section 1(1).

(2) For the purposes of this Act, a person shall, except in a case to which section 10(4) applies, be treated as the holder of a site licence if, and only if, a [F8 district council] have entered or endorsed his name in or on a site licence as the holder of that licence.

(3) Any reference in this Act to the carrying out of works shall include a reference to the planting of trees and shrubs and the carrying out of other operations for preserving or enhancing the amenity of land.

(4) For the purposes of any provision of this Act relating to the expiration of permission[F9 granted under [F10 the Planning Act] for any use] of land, permission granted for the use of land for intermittent periods shall not be regarded as expiring at any time so long as the permission authorises the use of the land for further intermittent periods.

Subs.(5) rep. by 1972 NI 17

F5 S. 25: definition of "caravan" substituted (17.9.2011) by Caravans Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 (c. 12), ss. 16, 18

F6 Functions transf.SRO (NI) 1964/205; 1972/111; 1973/504; 1976 NI 6 art.3

F7 Words in s. 25(1) substituted (13.2.2015 for specified purposes) by Planning Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 (c. 25), s. 254(1)(2), Sch. 6 para. 5 (with s. 211); S.R. 2015/49, art. 2, Sch. 1

F8 SRO (NI) 1973/285

F9 1991 NI 11

F10 Words in s. 25(4) substituted (13.2.2015 for specified purposes) by Planning Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 (c. 25), s. 254(1)(2), Sch. 6 para. 6 (with s. 211); S.R. 2015/49, art. 2, Sch. 1

26 Short title. N.I.

(1) This Act may be cited as the Caravans Act (Northern Ireland) 1963.

Subs.(2) rep. by SLR 1973