Buying a caravan site?

A caravan site with strong pitch occupancy, a well-maintained facility, and a diversified income base across touring pitches, static holiday caravans, and seasonal pitches is a substantial and genuinely fundable acquisition. Caravan sites combine a trading business with significant freehold land — and that combination gives specialist lenders a compelling dual security picture. A well-run caravan site in a strong tourist or coastal location with consistent seasonal occupancy and a loyal returning customer base is a more fundable proposition than many buyers expect.

What lenders look at

Pitch occupancy and income mix are the foundation. Lenders will examine the total number of pitches across all categories — touring, static holiday caravans, seasonal pitches, and any glamping or pod accommodation — the annual occupancy rate for each category, and the total annual revenue generated across the site. Static holiday caravan income — where caravan owners pay an annual pitch fee plus service charges for a fixed period — is the most predictable and fundable income stream because it is contracted and recurring. Touring pitch income is more variable but adds volume and flexibility. A site with a strong static caravan base supplemented by a well-utilised touring field is the most fundable income profile.

The site licence and planning consent are central to the underwriting. Caravan sites in England and Wales operate under a site licence issued by the local authority under the Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act 1960. The site licence specifies the number and type of pitches permitted, the facilities needed, and any conditions on operation. Lenders will check that the site licence is current, that the site is operating within its licensed capacity, and that there are no outstanding licence conditions or enforcement notices. Planning consent for the caravan site use — and any planning conditions on the season of operation or the type of accommodation permitted — is also reviewed carefully. A site with a clean licence history and unconditional year-round planning consent is a significantly more fundable proposition than one operating under seasonal or conditional permissions.

The land and infrastructure are assessed as the primary security components. Caravan site acquisitions almost always involve freehold land — the site itself, the pitches, the amenity blocks, the reception and office facilities, and any static caravans owned by the business. The freehold land provides the primary security and lenders will commission an independent RICS valuation on both a trading and a vacant possession basis. The condition of the amenity blocks, the quality of the site infrastructure — roads, drainage, electricity, and water connections to pitches — and the age and condition of any business-owned static caravans are all assessed as part of the overall asset picture.

Ancillary income and facilities are reviewed alongside pitch revenue. A well-run caravan site generates income beyond pitch fees — on-site shops, laundry facilities, children's play areas, fishing lakes, swimming pools, and any licensed bar or café on site all add revenue and improve the overall guest experience that drives repeat bookings and occupancy. A site with a diversified ancillary income base and facilities that genuinely differentiate it from nearby competition is a more fundable proposition than a basic pitch-only operation with minimal facilities.

How we help

We are acquisition finance and loans brokers, not lenders. We package your application, present it to the funders with genuine rural property and leisure appetite, and manage the process from first conversation through to completion.

We also arrange government-backed facilities for caravan site acquisitions — helping buyers access up to £2 million toward their purchase where the criteria are met.

Every caravan site acquisition is different. Tell us about the business. We will take it from there.