Hello, farmer, landowner, pub owner, hotel owner, or rural business operator.
Your land may support a temporary campsite.
Check the rules first.
Class BA camping Wales is now the main permitted development route for temporary recreational campsites in Wales. It can support farm diversification camping, seasonal income, and new visitor offers.
You must follow the limits.
You must map the 100m buffer.
You must complete the annual prior approval process.
Use this guide before you open.
Planning rules can change. Check the legislation and speak to your local planning authority before acting. This article is general guidance, not legal advice.
What Class BA allows in Wales
The Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (Amendment) (Wales) Order 2026 adds Class BA to the Welsh GPDO.
Class BA allows you to use land as a recreational campsite for:
- Up to 60 days in total each calendar year outside designated landscapes.
- Up to 28 days in total each calendar year in a National Park, Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, or World Heritage Site.
- Moveable structures that are reasonably necessary for the campsite.
This can include tents, campervans, and motorhomes that meet the legal definition.
The 60 days apply to the land.
They do not restart for each customer, pitch, or booking.
Keep one clear annual record.
Count every day the site is in use.
Do not treat the limit as 60 days per pitch.
The temporary campsite 60 days rule
The temporary campsite 60 days rule applies outside National Parks, AONBs, and World Heritage Sites.
You can choose the dates.
You can run the site for one block.
You can split the days across the year.
Record the dates in advance.
For example, you could operate during school holidays, bank holidays, or weekends. You still need to stay within the total annual limit.
The limit drops to 28 days if your land is within a:
- National Park.
- Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, also called a National Landscape.
- World Heritage Site.
Check the designation before you plan your season.
Do not assume nearby land has the same status.
Your field may cross a boundary.
Your usable area may sit inside a protected landscape even when the farmyard does not.
The 100m buffer zone campsite Wales rule
The 100m buffer zone campsite Wales rule is central to Class BA.
Class BA does not permit campsite use on land within 100 metres of a protected dwelling.
The legislation defines a protected dwelling as a dwellinghouse or flat occupied by someone other than the campsite owner or operator.
This usually means a neighbouring home.
It can affect farms, pubs, hotels, and rural businesses with small fields near houses.
Do not place pitches inside the buffer.
Do not place campsite amenities inside the buffer.
Review the full site layout.
Map the 100m distance before you submit your application.
Use an accurate site plan.
Mark each nearby dwelling.
Mark the proposed pitches.
Mark toilets, wastewater facilities, waste areas, parking, and access.
Ask the LPA to confirm how it expects the distance to be measured if the boundary is unclear.
The private way exception is narrow.
Do not rely on it to operate camping within the buffer.
If you need to use land within the 100m zone, Class BA will not provide the permitted development right. You may need a full planning application.
Do not use the old 28-day route as a workaround.
The 2026 Welsh changes remove camping from the general Class B temporary use right, except where camping is connected with a festival.
Check excluded land before you plan
Class BA does not apply everywhere.
The legislation excludes land containing or within several protected or restricted areas.
Check for:
- Scheduled monuments.
- Special Areas of Conservation.
- Safety hazard areas.
- Military explosives storage areas.
- Sites of Special Scientific Interest.
- Ramsar sites.
- Listed buildings.
- Special Protection Areas.
- Flood Zones 2 or 3.
Do not rely on a simple field walk.
Check planning maps.
Check flood maps.
Check environmental designations.
Check heritage records.
Ask your LPA if you cannot confirm the position.
A Class BA plan can fail because of one small constraint.
Find it before you spend money.
Prior approval campsite process
Class BA is not automatic.
You must apply to your local planning authority before beginning development in each calendar year.
First, apply for a determination on whether prior approval is required.
Your submission must include a site plan and details of:
- Toilet and wastewater facilities.
- Waste disposal facilities.
- Pitch and amenity locations.
- Access from the highway.
- Dates when the site will operate.
- Any required application fee.
This is the first stage of the prior approval campsite process.
The LPA has 28 days after receiving the application.
It can:
- Confirm that prior approval is not required.
- Tell you that the application is invalid or incomplete.
- Tell you that prior approval is required.
- Fail to issue a notice within the 28-day period.
If the LPA tells you that prior approval is required, submit the second application.
Wait for written approval.
Do not start the campsite before approval.
If 28 days pass without the LPA notifying you that the application is invalid or issuing its determination, the legislation allows development to proceed under the stated conditions.
Keep proof of submission.
Keep the receipt date.
Keep your plans.
Keep every letter.
Do not rely on a phone call.
Plan toilets, wastewater, and waste disposal
Your facilities must work before guests arrive.
Show the LPA how you will:
- Provide toilets.
- Collect wastewater.
- Empty or service units.
- Store waste.
- Remove rubbish.
- Prevent spills.
- Keep facilities away from watercourses.
- Manage cleaning and maintenance.
Use a written collection schedule.
Use competent contractors.
Keep service records.
Use sealed systems where needed.
Do not discharge wastewater onto the land.
Do not leave waste beside bins.
Do not ask campers to manage waste without clear instructions.
Your plan should match your pitch numbers and operating dates.
A small campsite needs a different plan from a busy event site.
Plan safe vehicular access
The LPA can require prior approval where camping may create a material increase or material change in traffic.
Show the route from the public highway.
Mark gates.
Show turning areas.
Show parking.
Separate vehicles from pedestrians where possible.
Explain how you will manage arrivals and departures.
Check visibility.
Check road width.
Check drainage.
Avoid blocking farm operations.
Tell guests where to park.
Use signs.
Keep emergency access clear.
Pubs and hotels should also check how camping traffic affects existing customers.
Do not send campers through a busy service yard without a clear plan.
Use Class BA for farm diversification camping
Farm diversification camping can create a new income stream.
It can also support nearby businesses.
You may offer:
- Seasonal camping.
- Simple tent pitches.
- Campervan stays.
- Guided walks.
- Wildlife activities.
- Outdoor skills.
- Local food.
- Farm products.
- Group experiences.
Start with the land.
Choose the safest field.
Keep pitches outside the buffer.
Avoid protected areas.
Protect farm access.
Set a clear guest capacity.
Then build the facilities plan.
Do not open first and fix the paperwork later.
Planning compliance, site licensing, insurance, fire safety, environmental health, and waste arrangements are separate issues.
Class BA does not remove every legal duty.
Read the Open Sky Adventure legal information and ask for help with the wider licensed camping process.
Practical checklist for farmers, pubs, and hotels
Use this checklist.
- Identify the correct Welsh LPA.
- Check whether the land is in a National Park, AONB, or World Heritage Site.
- Apply the 60-day or 28-day limit.
- Map every protected dwelling.
- Keep all camping use outside the 100m buffer.
- Check environmental, heritage, and flood restrictions.
- Prepare your site plan.
- Show pitches and amenities.
- Explain toilets and wastewater.
- Explain waste disposal.
- Map vehicular access.
- Submit the annual determination application.
- Pay the required fee.
- Record the submission date.
- Wait for the LPA response or the 28-day period.
- Submit prior approval if required.
- Receive written approval before opening.
- Track every day used.
- Review insurance and site licensing.
- Keep records for the full season.
Get help with licensed camping in Wales
The 2026 rules create an opportunity.
They also create tasks.
You need the right map.
You need the right dates.
You need the right facilities.
You need the right application.
Open Sky Adventure helps landowners explore compliant camping and outdoor activity options. We bring local knowledge, practical site planning, safety support, and licensed camping guidance together.
Start with your site address, a map pin, and a short description of your plans.
Send them through our landowner support page or contact Open Sky Adventure.
We will happily help you, signup live now if you have an interest in joining our license agreement.
Check your land.
Measure the buffer.
Prepare your application.
Then join the group and sign up on the website.
