Overnight stay facilities for touring vehicles

The Fermanagh and Omagh District Council area boasts a wide range of parks and open spaces where visitors and locals alike can experience the beautiful scenery and all the natural, built and cultural heritage.

Due to legislative requirements and associated Departmental control conditions, overnight stays by touring vehicles are not permitted on Council amenity sites and car parks.

The Off-Street Parking Order (Northern Ireland) 2000 provides the legislative basis for not allowing overnight stays in Off Street Car Parks (OSCPs) – Article 23 states,  

Miscellaneous activities. 

 A person shall not use any part of a parking place, or any vehicle left in a parking place – (a) for sleeping or camping purposes; (b) for eating or cooking purposes; or (c) for the purposes of servicing or washing any vehicle or part thereof other than is reasonably necessary to enable that vehicle to depart from the parking place. 

Whilst the Off-Street Parking Order (Northern Ireland) 2000 legislates against overnight parking in OSCPs, further legislation is in place to govern sites which allow overnight parking. The Caravans Act 2011 provides the following definition of a caravan – 

“caravan” means any structure designed or adapted for human habitation which is capable of being moved from one place to another (whether by being towed, or by being transported on a motor vehicle or trailer) and any motor vehicle so designed or adapted. 

Motorhomes therefore fall within the definition of the Caravans Act, which requires any land used for overnight stays to be subject to a site licence and associated conditions. Whilst it is not expected that the Council should provide a licence to itself, any car parks or tourist amenity sites used for overnight parking must comply with the same site conditions as if a licence were required.  

Motorhomes cannot currently be accommodated within Council car parks or amenity sites for overnight stays as the car parks do not meet the licence conditions applied to Caravan Parks (for example in terms of space between units, electrical, fire and telephone requirements, drainage and sanitisation facilities).

There are a number of licensed sites within the Fermanagh and Omagh District Council area where overnight parking for touring vehicles can be accommodated and we would encourage owners to park at these licensed sites as they comply with all the legislative requirements.

The licensed sites within the District include:

Birchwood Camping (Drumquin) +44 (028) 8283 1526

Blaney Caravan Park +44 (028) 6864 1634

Castle Archdale Caravan Park (Lisnarick) +44 (028) 6862 1333

Drumhoney Caravan Park (Lisnarick) +44 (028) 6862 1892

Edgewater Caravan Park (Kesh) +44 (028) 8676 7022

Fairy Tree Motorhome Park (Lisbellaw) +44 (0)7745191833

Glen Park Estate (Gortin) +44 (028) 8299 0004

Loaneden Caravan Park (Kesh) +44 (028) 6863 1603

Mullynascarthy Holiday Park (Lisnaskea) +44 (028) 6772 1040

Riverside Farm Marina & Caravan Park (Enniskillen) +44 (0)7768744509

Rushin House Caravan Park (Belcoo) +44 (028) 6638 6519

Share Village Caravan Park (Lisnaskea) +44 (028) 6772 2122

Thank you, and enjoy your stay in the Fermanagh and Omagh District Council area.