Business

There are several types of licence requirements if you are handling animals:

Animal Activity Licences Dangerous wild animals Zoos

We control all sex establishments operating in the District. A sex establishment is defined as a sex shop, a sex cinema or a sexual entertainment venue. If you want to operate a sex shop, sex cinema or sexual entertainment venue in our area you need a licence from us to do so.

In order to promote transparency and consistency in the way that we carry out our licensing functions in relation to sex establishments, we have adopted a sex establishment licensing policy:  document Read Sex Establishment Policy document (230 KB)

Apply by post

To apply for a licence by post you need to complete an application form and send it to: Licensing, Wychavon District Council, The Civic Centre, Queen Elizabeth Drive, Pershore, Worcestershire, WR10 1PT

document Download Sex Establishment Licence application form (130 KB)

The current fees we charge to apply for a sex establishment can be found on our Licensing Fees and Charges page. View Licensing Fees and Charges page.

Advertising the application

Your application must be advertised by displaying a public notice. The template for public notices is included with the application form available above.

Will tacit consent apply?

No. It is in the public interest that we must process your application before it can be granted. If you have not heard from us within a reasonable period, please get in touch.

The Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013 replaced the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 1964 and the Motor Salvage Operators Regulation 2002 from 1st October 2013.

Every scrap metal dealer must have a licence issued by us as operating without one will be a criminal offence.

There are two types of licences:

Site Licence
This is where the scrap metal business is operated from one or more sites in the local authority area. The licence allows the licensee to buy and sell scrap metal and to transport scrap metal to and from those sites from any local authority area.

Collector's Licence
This is where the scrap metal operator collects scrap metal in the local authority area. A separate licence must be obtained from each council the collector wishes to operate in.

A scrap metal dealer is only permitted to hold one type of licence in any one local authority area.

When operating as a scrap metal dealer:

• You must not receive scrap metal from a person without verifying their name and address
• You must not buy scrap metal for cash.
• A site licence must be displayed in a prominent place, accessible to the public, at each site identified in the licence.
• A mobile collector’s licence must be displayed on any vehicle that is being used in the course of the business and can be easily read by a person outside the vehicle.
• You must keep a record of all scrap metal you receive including:
  • a description including type, form, condition, weight, any marks identifying previous owners or distinguishing features
  • the date and time
  • the registration mark of the vehicle it was delivered in or on
  • the full name and address of the person received from
  • the full name of the person who makes the payment acting for the dealer
• You must keep a record of all scrap metal you dispose of including:
  • a description including type, form and weight (site licence holders only)
  • the date and time
  • the full name and address of the person disposed to
  • if payment is made (by sale or exchange), the price of other consideration received (site licence holders only)
• You must keep your records for 3 years and allow the council or police to inspect your premises and records if asked.

Under the Act we must not issue a licence unless we are satisfied that the applicant is a suitable person to carry on business as a scrap metal dealer. In the case of a partnership this means assessing the suitability of each of the partners in the partnership, while in the case of a company it means assessing the suitability of any directors, company secretaries or shadow directors.

The application process requires an applicant to provide a Criminal Convictions Certificate (Basic Disclosure), which can be obtained from the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Request a DBS check

Request copy of criminal record via GOV.UK

Apply by post

Your application form, supporting documents and fee should be sent to: Licensing, Wychavon District Council, The Civic Centre, Queen Elizabeth Drive, Pershore, Worcestershire, WR10 1PT

document Download Scrap Metal Site/Collector application form (246 KB)

The fees payable for licences can be found on our Licensing Fees and Charges page.

What is a caravan?

In law the term caravan includes those which can be towed behind cars, motor homes, static holiday homes and the more modern residential park homes, which often arrive on site in two sections and are then bolted together.

The law covering caravan sites

The law covering caravans is contained in:

• Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act 1960 - This act covers the licensing of caravan sites and the safety, welfare and management conditions which need to be provided.
• Caravan Sites Act 1968 - This act deals with protection from eviction from residential sites and the maximum dimensions for caravans.
• The Mobile Homes Act 1983 - This act covers the civil law between site owners and residents on 'protected sites'. A protected site is one which has planning permission for permanent residential use and has been issued with a site licence.

The first two Acts are enforced by us but the Mobile Homes Act may involve County Court action by residents or site owners themselves to resolve any disputes.

Use the links below to find the information that you need

• Caravan site licences
• Caravan sites – Fit and proper person test

Caravan site licences

Applications for site licences are made to the local authority in whose area the land is situated. Applications must be in writing, should detail the land the application concerns and any other information required by the local authority.

In order to be eligible to be issued with a licence you must be entitled to use the land as a caravan site. In addition licences will not be issued to you if you have had a site licence revoked within three years of the current application.

We can only issue a licence for a new caravan site after the site has received the necessary planning permission and a completed application for a site licence.

Local Authorities are responsible for safeguarding the interests of home owners and the public at large through the licensing regime under the Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act 1960. 

Therefore, in order to ensure compliance with applicable licence conditions , a visit is carried out on any site for which a licence has been requested. What conditions are applicable to any particular site may vary, but will be based on model conditions established by the Act, visit The National Archives website for more information on Model Standards 2008 for Caravan Sites.

We may also agree to the transfer of an existing licence to a new licensee.

An annual fee is required to maintain the licence on any relevant protected site. A relevant protected site is defined as any land to be used as a caravan site other than one where a licence is:

• Granted for holiday use only
• In any other way subject to conditions which restrict the usage of the site for the stationing of caravans for human habitation at certain times of the year (such as planning conditions)

document Read the Wychavon policy on Park Home fees. (56 KB)

Apply by post

Your application form should be sent to: Licensing, Wychavon District Council, The Civic Centre, Queen Elizabeth Drive, Pershore, Worcestershire, WR10 1PT

document Download Caravan Site application form (230 KB)

The current fees for caravan site licences can be found on our Licensing Fees and Charges page.

Will tacit consent apply?

No, it is in the public interest that we process and consider all applications.

Caravan sites – Fit and proper person test

The Mobile Homes (Requirement for Manager of Site to be Fit and Proper Person) (England) Regulations 2020 ("the Regulations") introduced a fit and proper person test for mobile home site owners or the person appointed to manage the site, unless exempted by the Regulations.

What does this mean for site owners?

From 1 October 2021, unless the site is exempt, the site owner must be a fit and proper person to lawfully operate a park home site, or have a fit and proper site manager in place.

What must a site owner do?

Site owners operating a relevant protected site must apply between 1 July 2021 and 1 October 2021 to us for the relevant person (themselves or their appointed manager) to be included in the local register of fit and proper persons to manage a site.

A site owner may only apply if they hold or have applied for a site licence for the site.

To request an application form, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 01905 822799.

The applicant seeking entry on the register will need a basic DBS certificate (dated no more than 6 months before the date of the application) and this must be included with the application. The DBS certificate must be from an approved supplier. Information about how to arrange a DBS check can be found on the Government's website.

Application cost

There is currently no fee required to submit an application.

Exempt sites

A site is exempt if it's "a non-commercial family occupied site". This is one:

• only occupied by members of the same family, and
• not being run on a commercial basis

The regulations provide further detail about this exemption, visit The Mobile Homes (Requirement for Manager of Site to be Fit and Proper Person) (England) Regulations 2020 for more details.

What we will consider

To be happy that the relevant person is a fit and proper person to manage the site, and to add them to the register, we will consider:

• past compliance with the site licence
• the long-term maintenance of the site
• whether the relevant person has sufficient level of competence to manage the site
• the management structure and funding arrangements for the site or proposed management structure and funding arrangements.

We will also consider whether the relevant person:

• has the right to work within the UK
• has committed any offence involving fraud or other dishonesty, violence, arson or drugs or listed in Schedule 3 to the Sexual Offences Act 2003 (offences attracting notification requirements)
• has contravened any provision of the law relating to housing, caravan sites, mobile homes, public health, planning or environmental health or of landlord and tenant law
• has contravened any provision of the Equality Act 2010 in, or in connection with, the carrying on of any business
• has harassed any person in, or in connection with, the carrying on of any business
• has had an application rejected by any other local authority
• is, or has been within the past 10 years, personally insolvent
• is, or has been within the last 10 years, disqualified from acting as a company director

We also may consider the conduct of any person associated or formerly associated with the relevant person (whether on a personal, work or other basis), if it appears that person's conduct is relevant.

We can also consider any evidence on any other relevant matters.

document Download registration form (20 KB)

Register of Fit and Proper Persons

The Council’s register of persons it is satisfied are fit and proper persons to manage a relevant protected site in the Council’s area can be viewed on the Public Register page.