Hello, landowner. Your field could support a campsite. You must choose the right planning route first.
The rules differ between England and Wales.
The biggest point is simple:
- Class BC camping England does not include a 100m protected dwelling buffer.
- Class BA camping Wales does include a strict 100m buffer.
- England uses annual notification for most eligible sites.
- Wales requires an annual determination application before opening.
- Flood risk, facilities, access, and site limits still matter in both countries.
Use this guide before you market pitches, accept bookings, or prepare a prior approval campsite application.
This article reflects the rules available on 14 August 2026. Planning law can change. Check with your Local Planning Authority before you act.
England and Wales at a glance
| Point | England | Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Main camping right | Class BC | Class BA |
| Standard annual limit | 60 days | 60 days |
| Designated landscapes | Check local restrictions | 28 days in National Parks, AONBs, and World Heritage Sites |
| 100m buffer | Not part of Class BC | Applies to protected dwellings |
| Annual process | Written notification | Determination application |
| Prior approval | Required in Flood Zones 2 or 3 | Required if the council says it is needed |
| Towed caravans | Not allowed under Class BC | Not allowed under Class BA |
| Old 28-day camping rule | Ordinary camping removed | Ordinary camping removed, except festival camping |
Check the official England Class BC legislation and the official Wales Class BA legislation.
Class BC camping England: what landowners can do
Class BC applies in England.
It allows temporary recreational camping for up to 60 days in total during one calendar year.
The days do not need to be consecutive.
You can use weekends, school holidays, or selected event dates.
You can provide up to 50 pitches.
You can use moveable structures that support the campsite. This can include portable toilets, showers, reception facilities, and waste equipment.
Class BC can cover:
- Tents
- Motorhomes
- Campervans
- Moveable campsite facilities
It does not cover towed caravans.
Track your dates from 1 January to 31 December. Do not count by season. Do not count by booking period. Count every day when the land is used as a campsite.
The 28-day rule in England
Do not rely on old camping advice.
The general Class B 28-day right no longer covers ordinary recreational camping in England. Since the 2023 changes, Class B camping is limited to camping connected with a festival.
Use Class BC for a normal temporary campsite.
If you want to operate beyond 60 days, apply for planning permission. Do not split the business across nearby fields to avoid the limit. The council can consider the wider use and operating pattern.
Does England have a 100m buffer?
No.
This is an important correction.
The 100m buffer zone campsite Wales rule is not a condition of Class BC in England. Class BC does not contain the same protected dwelling exclusion.
That does not remove every neighbour issue.
You must still manage:
- Noise
- Lighting
- Vehicle movements
- Waste
- Fire safety
- Privacy
- Access
- Complaints
Map nearby homes anyway. Use screening. Keep vehicles away from property boundaries. Set quiet hours. Speak to neighbours before opening.
Good site management reduces conflict. It does not create a legal 100m rule where the legislation does not contain one.
England notification requirements
You must notify your Local Planning Authority in writing before starting the campsite in each calendar year.
Include:
- A site plan
- The campsite operating dates
- Toilet locations
- Waste disposal locations
- Pitch numbers
- Access routes
Use a scaled plan. Mark the field boundary. Show the public highway. Mark the entrance. Add emergency access. Include the location of every facility.
Send the notice early.
Keep:
- Your submitted notice
- The site plan
- Proof of delivery
- Council correspondence
- Your operating day log
If your council is not also the fire and rescue authority, it must pass the notice to the relevant fire and rescue authority.
When Class BC needs prior approval
Class BC needs prior approval if any part of the land sits within Flood Zone 2 or Flood Zone 3.
Apply before the campsite starts in that calendar year.
Your application must include:
- A site-specific flood risk assessment
- Warning arrangements
- Evacuation arrangements
- A site plan
- Toilet and waste details
- Operating dates
- The required fee
Use the Planning Portal temporary campsite prior approval form.
The council has up to 56 days to decide.
You must receive written approval, or wait until the 56-day period expires without a decision on approval or refusal.
Do not open before the correct point.
Apply again for each calendar year.
Class BA camping Wales: the 100m rule matters
Class BA applies in Wales.
It allows temporary recreational camping for:
- Up to 60 days per calendar year on most land
- Up to 28 days per calendar year in a National Park, Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, or World Heritage Site
It allows moveable structures needed for the camping use.
It does not allow towed caravans.
The key restriction is the protected dwelling rule.
You cannot use Class BA land within 100 metres of a protected dwelling, except for the use of a private way.
A protected dwelling means a house or flat occupied by someone other than the campsite owner or operator.
Treat this rule as absolute.
Prior approval does not remove it.
A good application cannot override it.
If your proposed camping land falls within the buffer, Class BA is unavailable for that land. You will usually need full planning permission for the campsite use.
Do not place one pitch, toilet, waste unit, or access area inside the restricted land without taking proper advice. Map the full site before you draw the layout.
Ask your LPA how it wants the distance measured. Use a clear, conservative measurement. Show the buffer on your plan.
Strategies for farmers
Split the site before you plan the business.
Map every neighbouring dwelling. Mark the 100m buffer. Remove restricted land from the pitch plan.
Then check whether the remaining field can support:
- Safe access
- Turning space
- Toilets
- Waste storage
- Emergency access
- Suitable pitch spacing
If the usable area is too small, choose another field. Do not force the layout.
Strategies for pubs and hotels
Review more than the main building.
A pub or hotel may own nearby cottages, staff housing, holiday lets, or neighbouring fields. Ownership alone does not answer every question. Check who occupies each dwelling and whether it meets the protected dwelling definition.
Use the land behind the business where possible. Keep camping areas away from homes. Separate guest access from customer parking. Show delivery routes and waste collection points.
A clear plan helps the council understand the proposal.
The Welsh prior approval process
Wales uses a two-stage process.
You must apply every year before starting.
Stage one: apply for a determination
Submit an application to ask whether prior approval is required.
Include:
- A site plan
- Toilet and wastewater arrangements
- Waste disposal arrangements
- Pitch and amenity locations
- Highway access details
- Operating dates
- The required fee
Use the Welsh Government determination guidance.
The council should notify you within 28 days.
It may decide that prior approval is not required.
If the council gives written notice that approval is not required, follow the submitted plan and conditions.
If the council does not issue a notice within the required period, check that your application was valid and complete before relying on the time limit.
Stage two: apply for prior approval
The council can require prior approval.
This may happen when the proposal could cause a material increase or material change in local traffic.
You must then submit the prior approval application.
You must receive written approval before opening.
The council can ask for information about:
- Vehicle movements
- Highway safety
- Access width
- Turning areas
- Waste collection
- Toilets
- Wastewater
- Site operation
Do not open while the second stage is still under review.
Land that may be excluded
Check the land before you prepare a full application.
Class BC in England does not apply on:
- Scheduled monuments
- Safety hazard areas
- Military explosives storage areas
- Sites of Special Scientific Interest
- Sites of listed buildings
Class BA in Wales has wider exclusions. These include:
- Scheduled monuments
- Special Areas of Conservation
- Safety hazard areas
- Military explosives storage areas
- Sites of Special Scientific Interest
- Ramsar sites
- Sites of listed buildings
- Special Protection Areas
- Flood Zones 2 and 3
- Land within 100m of a protected dwelling
Article 4 Directions can also remove permitted development rights.
Check local planning records. Check environmental designations. Check flood maps. Ask the LPA for written advice where the position is unclear.
Do not forget campsite licensing
Planning rights and site licensing are separate.
Class BC or Class BA does not automatically remove licensing duties.
Check whether your operation needs:
- A campsite licence
- A caravan site licence
- Public liability insurance
- Fire risk controls
- Waste contracts
- Water and wastewater arrangements
- Food or hospitality permissions
Ask your local authority licensing team before taking bookings.
Keep a compliance file. Store plans, approvals, notifications, insurance, inspection records, and operating dates in one place.
Your practical action plan
Follow these steps:
- Confirm whether the land is in England or Wales.
- Check the correct permitted development class.
- Map nearby dwellings.
- Apply the Welsh 100m buffer where Class BA applies.
- Check flood zones and environmental designations.
- Set your operating dates.
- Keep within the pitch and day limits.
- Draw a scaled site plan.
- Arrange toilets, wastewater, and waste disposal.
- Submit the correct notification or determination application.
- Apply for prior approval when required.
- Wait for written approval where required.
- Confirm licensing and insurance.
- Keep every record.
Open Sky Adventure helps farmers, pubs, hotels, and landowners plan licensed camping sites with practical support, site layouts, safety systems, and compliance guidance.
Read The Legals, explore how to unlock your land and potential, then contact Open Sky Adventure.
We will happily help you, signup live now if you have an interest in joining our license agreement.