Council regulates accommodation parks to ensure that they are maintained in a clean and suitable condition and that they provide appropriate facilities. Compliance with Council's requirements will assist businesses in providing a safe environment for customers and guests.
When do you need an accommodation park approval?
The use of an area of land for accommodation in any of the following:
- Caravans
- Relocatable homes
- Cabins
- Tents
When you don't need an accommodation park approval?
The use of an area of land for accommodation in any of the following:
- Cabins with self-contained facilities
- Manufactured homes with self-contained facilities
- Semi-permanent style tents (glamping, for example) that cannot be readily assembled or disassembled with self-contained facilities.
How to apply for an accommodation park approval
You must ensure the site has relevant planning approval, building approval, and plumbing approval before you submit an accommodation park appproval application. Contact council to check these approvals.
Once the above approvals have been checked and an approval is required for the operation of accommodation park, please complete an Accommodation Park Approval Application form online and select the option 'apply for an accommodation park approval'. Please refer to Council's fees and charges for the applicable application fee.
For your interest, the Subordinate Local Law No. 1.8 (Operation of accommodation Parks) 2015 provides the documents and material that must accompany an application for approval and the conditions that can be on an approval.
- Council will contact you should additional information be required to process your application.
- Upon completion of the fit out, you must contact Council for an inspection prior to commencing operations.
- When Council approves your application, you can then operate in accordance with the approved conditions.
- Council will inspect the premises on a regular basis.
Public liability insurance
Whilst Council does not require you to have public liability insurance for this approval, you should research all options regarding your business insurance requirements.
Transfer of an existing accommodation park approval
To apply for an accommodation park approval when taking over an existing business, follow the below steps:
Step 1 – Current owner to surrender their approval
- Submit an Accommodation Park Approval Application form online and select the option ‘surrender my accommodation park approval’.
Step 2 – Purchaser to apply for their approval
- Submit an Accommodation Park Approval Application form online and select the option ‘apply for a transfer for an existing acccommodation park approval'.
Step 3 – Purchaser to pay the required fees
Once Council receives both forms, an invoice will be emailed to the purchaser for the below:
- The pro-rata approval fee (this fee is calculated based on the annual approval fees and is dependent on the remaining time left in the licensing period).
Please note: Once the payment and both forms are received, Council will assess your application within 30 days and contact you if further information is required or will issue the Accommodation Park Approval once approved.
Step 4 – Issuing of Accommodation Park Approval
- Once the application is approved, Council will email/post the Accommodation Park Approval to the purchaser.
Please note: All approvals have an annual expiry date of 30 September. The renewal notice will be emailed at least 60 days prior to the expiration date.
You may apply for a search of Council records to confirm that there is a current approval and to ascertain the current level of compliance. This process may require written permission from the vendor. For further information, contact Council.
Amendments to an existing accommodation park approval
This process is for making changes to an existing accommodation park approval.
- Complete the Accommodation Park Approval Application form online and select the option 'make an amendment to an existing accommodation park approval'. A fee for the amendment application may apply.
- Council will contact you should additional information be required to process your application.
- When Council approves your application, you can commence operation in accordance with the approved conditions.
Renewal of an accommodation park approval
The renewal of your accommodation park approval attracts an annual fee.
- A renewal notice is emailed to you 60 days prior to the approval's expiry.
- Approval's expire on 30 September each year.
- A certificate of approval is posted to you once the annual fee is paid.
If you need to amend details on your existing approval or require a copy of your approval, contact Council.
Routine inspections
Council officers will conduct routine inspections to monitor compliance of your approval conditions.
Enforcement
If you are operating an accommodation park, you must have a current approval and comply with the relevant legislation and all conditions on your approval.
If you have difficulty complying, contact Council.
Failure to comply may result in one or more of the following enforcement actions:
- a letter being issued requiring action or work to be conducted.
- a compliance notice being issued requiring action to be taken or work to be conducted.
- a stop order to immediately stop the activity.
- penalty infringement notice (PIN or on-the-spot fine)
- suspension of an approval
- cancellation of an approval
- seizure of items from the property
- prosecution
Making a complaint
Contact Council to make a complaint about an accommodation park.