Turn Your Land Into a Certified Motorhome Site
If you own a paddock, a corner of a farm, or a quiet stretch of land that isn’t earning its keep, there’s a genuinely simple way to change that. The motorhome and campervan market in the UK has grown substantially, and the demand for small, peaceful, rural stopover sites has never been stronger. That’s where a Certified Location (CL) comes in, and it’s something we can help you set up, license, and fill with guests.
Here’s everything you need to know.
What Is a Certified Location?
A Certified Location is a small, members-only campsite that accommodates up to five motorhomes or campervans at any one time. That’s it. No sprawling holiday park, no complicated infrastructure, and in many cases, no full planning permission required either.
Because we operate under permitted exemptions (subject to legislation and local authority requirements), a CL is one of the most straightforward and cost-effective ways to open a campsite in the UK. It’s low-impact by design: peaceful, simple, and built around quality rather than volume.
For landowners, that means minimal overhead, a manageable setup process, and a real opportunity to generate consistent secondary income from land that might otherwise be sitting idle.
What Your Land Needs to Qualify
The physical requirements are more achievable than most people expect. To establish a Van Club Certified Location, you’ll typically need:
Land basics:
- A minimum of half an acre of fairly level, usable ground
- Safe access with clear visibility
- Passing points if your access road is narrow
Essential facilities (within 100 metres and not across roads):
- A chemical waste disposal point (sealed tank or mains connection)
- A separate rinse tap with a non-return valve
- A separate drinking water tap with a non-return valve
- General waste disposal, with recycling encouraged
Toilet facilities aren’t compulsory, but we strongly recommend them. Pitch spacing must follow the 6-metre fire safety rule, and there needs to be clear access for emergency vehicles and safe manoeuvring space throughout the site.
If you’re not sure whether your land ticks the boxes, our Site Development Team can walk through layout planning and compliance with you from the start.
Why Partner With Us (and Not Just Anyone)?
This is where things get a bit different. A lot of organisations will license a site and then essentially leave you to it. You get a listing, and that’s your lot.
We don’t work that way.
When your site joins our Certified Location network, we actively market it. That means a featured listing on our website, promotion across Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn, inclusion in member newsletters, dedicated spotlight posts, and launch campaign support. We also promote at major shows including NEC events, and your site benefits from cross-promotion through our brand partners and rally network.
We drive bookings. That’s the short version.
Our membership base is engaged and growing, made up of exactly the kind of travellers who are actively searching for small, rural, exclusive sites. They’re not looking for a big holiday park with a swimming pool. They want somewhere quiet, well-located, and welcoming, which is precisely what a well-run CL delivers.
You Stay in Control
One thing landowners often appreciate is how much flexibility you retain. You decide:
- Whether you open seasonally or all year round
- Whether you welcome families or prefer adults only
- Whether you offer electric hook-up or keep it off-grid
- Whether pitches are hardstanding or grass
- Your pet policy
- Your own pricing structure
We provide the framework, the licence, and the marketing engine. The rest is yours to shape around your land and your vision.
The Income Potential Is Real
With five pitches charging between £20 and £30 per night, even moderate occupancy adds up to meaningful secondary income with genuinely low overheads. Many of our landowners use their CL to diversify farming income, support an equestrian or rural business, monetise an unused paddock, or drive footfall to a farm shop or attraction on the same property.
It’s also worth thinking longer term. A well-run CL builds reputation and repeat visitors over time, which creates the kind of passive income stream that supports a rural business through quieter seasons.
What We Handle for You
From your initial enquiry through to opening day, we’re with you throughout the process. Our support includes:
- An initial suitability review of your land
- Guidance on local authority notification where required
- Neighbour communication advice
- A clear checklist of work to be done before approval
- A final approval visit
- Your official Van Club CL licence and authorised member-only status
- Annual compliance reviews and ongoing operational support
You’re not navigating any of this alone, and the process is far more approachable than most people assume before they start.
The Timing Makes Sense Right Now
The appetite for small, rural, members-only sites is as strong as it’s ever been. Motorhome and campervan ownership continues to rise across the UK, and those owners are actively looking for exactly the kind of experience a Certified Location provides. Joining the network now means your site can be up and running, marketed, and welcoming guests with the full weight of our promotional support behind it.
If you’re ready to find out whether your land could work as a Van Club Certified Location, we’ve put together a dedicated Certified Location Landowner Guide covering the full setup process, legal framework, income projections, compliance checklist, and our complete marketing strategy.
Just email us at hello@thevanclub.co.uk with the subject line “CL Guide” and we’ll send it straight over.
Or, if you’d prefer to browse everything in one place, head over to our Certified Locations page to get started. Small, exclusive, and fully backed by serious marketing power; it might be exactly what your land has been waiting for.