Hello, landowner. You may be able to run a temporary campsite without full planning permission.
Use Class BC permitted development rights in England. Follow each condition. Keep clear records. Check your local planning authority before taking bookings.
This guide explains the main camping legislation UK 2026 rules for farmers, pubs, hotels, and rural businesses.
This guide covers England. Wales has different rules. Check the Wales section before planning a Welsh campsite.
What Class BC allows
Class BC sits within Part 4 of the General Permitted Development Order.
It allows you to:
- Use land as a recreational campsite.
- Operate for up to 60 days in total each calendar year.
- Provide no more than 50 pitches.
- Install moveable structures that are reasonably needed for the campsite.
You can split the days across the year. You do not need to use all 60 days at once.
Count every operating day. Keep a written record.
The temporary campsite 60 days rule is a total annual limit. It is not 60 days per event. It is not 60 days per pitch.
Class BC does not permit traditional towed caravans. It can cover tents, motorhomes, and campervans, subject to other legal requirements.
The rule started in England in 2023. It replaced the old camping position under Class B.
The old 28-day rule in England
The old 28-day rule no longer provides the main route for ordinary temporary camping in England.
The 2023 legislation changed Class B. It excluded camping, except when connected with a festival.
Use Class BC instead. Apply for full planning permission if your proposal falls outside Class BC.
Do not assume that a previous 28-day campsite can continue under the same rules.
Check the current position with your local planning authority. Planning controls can also vary through local restrictions, planning conditions, and Article 4 Directions.
The main Class BC limits
Stay within these limits.
1. Use the land for no more than 60 days
Choose your dates before the season starts. Include set-up and operating periods where relevant. Keep a calendar.
Do not exceed 60 days in the calendar year.
2. Provide no more than 50 pitches
Set out the pitch layout in advance. Mark the boundaries. Count every pitch.
Do not add extra pitches during busy periods.
A smaller site may be easier to manage. It may also reduce pressure on access, drainage, waste collection, and neighbouring properties.
3. Use permitted camping units
Class BC excludes caravans, unless the caravan is a motor vehicle designed or adapted for human habitation.
This generally allows motorhomes and campervans. It does not give you a right to site touring caravans or static caravans.
Check the licensing position separately. Planning permission and site licensing are different matters.
4. Use moveable structures only
Class BC allows moveable structures reasonably necessary for the permitted use.
Plan facilities that you can install and remove. Avoid permanent buildings unless you have checked the separate planning rules.
Toilets and waste facilities are mandatory
You must provide on-site toilet and waste disposal facilities for campsite users.
Do not open first and add facilities later.
Choose a layout that makes facilities easy to find. Keep waste areas away from watercourses and food preparation areas. Set a collection schedule. Record inspections.
Your facilities plan should show:
- Toilet locations.
- Waste disposal points.
- Vehicle access.
- Pitch locations.
- Emergency access.
- Any relevant boundaries.
Use the plan for operations. Use it for your annual notification. Update it when the layout changes.
Annual written notification to the LPA
You must notify the local planning authority in writing before starting development in each calendar year.
Include a copy of your site plan.
The plan must show:
- The toilet and waste facilities.
- The dates when the site will be in use.
The LPA must pass the notification to the relevant fire and rescue authority if it is a different body.
Send the notification early. Keep:
- A copy of the notice.
- The site plan.
- Proof of delivery.
- Your operating calendar.
- Your facilities inspection records.
This annual notification is required even when your land is outside a flood zone.
It is not the same as a planning application. It is also not the same as prior approval.
Flood Zones 2 and 3: prior approval
You need a prior approval campsite process if your land is in Flood Zone 2 or Flood Zone 3.
You must apply to the LPA before starting development in each calendar year.
Your application must include:
- A site-specific flood risk assessment.
- Warning arrangements.
- An evacuation plan.
- The required fee, if applicable.
- Site details and proposed camping dates.
The LPA must consult the Environment Agency. It must consider the response when making its decision.
Do not open the site while you wait for a decision.
The legislation says development must not begin until the LPA gives written prior approval, or until 56 days have passed without the authority notifying you whether approval is granted or refused.
Treat this as a pre-season task. Do not rely on assumptions. Ask the LPA how it wants the application submitted and what local information it needs.
Check your site using the GOV.UK long-term flood risk service. Then obtain professional advice where the site needs a flood risk assessment.
Land that Class BC does not cover
Class BC does not apply to certain sites.
These include:
- Scheduled monuments.
- Safety hazard areas.
- Military explosives storage areas.
- Sites of Special Scientific Interest.
- Sites of listed buildings.
Check the designations before you invest in equipment or marketing.
A protected site may need full planning permission. A local planning restriction may also remove or limit permitted development rights.
Check the planning history. Check the site boundary. Ask the LPA for written confirmation where the position is unclear.
Planning is not the same as licensing
Class BC deals with planning use.
It does not remove duties under the Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act 1960.
You may need a caravan site licence if you host motorhomes or operate outside a relevant exemption.
Tent-only sites may qualify for an exemption where they stay within the applicable time limits. Confirm the current position with your local authority.
Also check:
- Fire safety.
- Public liability insurance.
- Toilet and waste arrangements.
- Food safety, if you sell food.
- Electrical safety.
- Water supply.
- Local environmental health requirements.
- Access and traffic management.
- Business rates and tax.
Use one compliance file. Keep planning, licensing, insurance, safety, and operating records together.
How farmers can use Class BC for diversification
Farm diversification camping can turn unused or seasonal land into a second income stream.
Start with the land. Do not start with the tent stock.
Check:
- The land boundary.
- Flood zone status.
- Protected designations.
- Vehicle access.
- Drainage.
- Nearby homes.
- Waste collection access.
- Emergency access.
- Seasonal ground conditions.
- The 60-day operating calendar.
Choose a pitch model that matches the land.
You could offer:
- Tent pitches.
- Motorhome pitches.
- Small group bookings.
- Guided outdoor weekends.
- Wildlife and hiking stays.
- Corporate team activities.
- Pub or hotel camping packages.
Stay within the Class BC unit limits. Keep the operation simple. Remove temporary structures when the season ends.
Options for pubs and hotels
Pubs and hotels can use nearby land to add camping without building a large accommodation block.
Link pitches to existing services where suitable. Offer food, toilets, showers, walks, or guided activities from the main business.
Check the relationship between the camping land and the existing premises. Confirm access. Manage noise. Set arrival times. Control vehicle movements.
Use a clear guest policy. Set quiet hours. Explain waste rules. Provide emergency contact details.
Open Sky Adventure can help you design an experience that connects camping with local walks, wildlife, and outdoor activities.
See our permitted development guide for camping in England and review our legal information.
Wales is different in 2026
Do not apply Class BC camping England rules to Wales.
Wales introduced a new Class BA position in 2026. The exact allowance depends on location and designation.
Outside certain protected areas, Class BA can allow up to 60 days per calendar year, subject to prior approval and conditions.
Within National Parks, National Landscapes, and World Heritage Sites, the allowance can be limited to 28 days.
Other restrictions can apply near protected dwellings and protected habitats. Article 4 Directions can remove permitted development rights.
The old Welsh 28-day position also changes during 2026. The Welsh legislation sets out the legal text.
Check the exact site with the relevant Welsh planning authority. Do not rely on an England-based checklist.
Your Class BC action plan
Follow this order.
- Confirm that the land is in England.
- Check protected designations.
- Check Flood Zone 2 and Flood Zone 3 status.
- Plan no more than 50 pitches.
- Plan no more than 60 operating days.
- Exclude towed caravans.
- Design toilets and waste facilities.
- Prepare a scaled site plan.
- Prepare a flood risk assessment if required.
- Apply for prior approval if required.
- Notify the LPA in writing each year.
- Check site licensing.
- Arrange insurance and safety controls.
- Keep a compliance file.
- Open only when each requirement is met.
Do not advertise dates before you know the legal route. Do not take bookings that could push you over the annual limit.
Use professional advice for complex sites. Ask your LPA specific questions. Keep written answers.
Start your licensed camping project
Class BC can support a compliant temporary campsite. It can support farm diversification camping. It can help pubs, hotels, and landowners build a seasonal outdoor business.
The limits are clear. The process needs planning.
Join the Open Sky Adventure group and sign up on our website to discuss your site, your dates, and your next steps.
We will happily help you, signup live now if you have an interest in joining our license agreement.
Join Open Sky Adventure and review our membership and legal information.
This article provides general information about camping legislation UK 2026. It is not legal or planning advice. Confirm your proposal with the relevant local planning authority before operating.