UK Camping Legislation 2026: Class BC England, PDR and a Landowner Action Plan

Meta description: Learn how Class BC works in England in 2026, including the 60-day limit, 50 pitches, site plans, flood zones, licensing and landowner checks.

Hello, landowners, farmers, pubs and hotel operators. If you want to add camping to your land, start with the rules.

A compliant campsite can support farm diversification, rural tourism and hospitality income. It can also create planning, licensing, safety and waste duties.

Check each one before you accept guests.

Class BC England: the main permitted development right

England’s main permitted development route for temporary recreational campsites is Class BC.

It sits in Schedule 2, Part 4, Class BC of the GPDO.

The right allows you to:

Use land as a recreational campsite.
Operate for no more than 60 days in total in each calendar year.
Provide no more than 50 pitches.
Provide moveable structures reasonably necessary for the campsite.

These structures can include portable toilets, waste facilities and other temporary campsite equipment.

Class BC is a planning right. It is not a complete campsite approval.

You may still need a site licence, environmental health checks, highways consent, waste arrangements and other permissions.

Read the 2023 amendment order before you plan your site.

The 60-day and 50-pitch limits

Count the 60 days carefully.

The limit applies to the total use of the land as a recreational campsite in a calendar year. It is not a rolling 12-month allowance.

You can split the days into separate periods. For example, you could operate during school holidays and selected weekends.

Keep a written operating calendar.

Record:

Opening dates.
Closing dates.
Number of pitches in use.
Any changes to the layout.
Dates when facilities are installed and removed.

Never exceed 50 pitches at one time.

Treat each tent, motorhome or campervan unit as a pitch for planning control. Keep spare capacity in your plan. Do not plan to operate at the legal maximum without checking the layout, access and facilities first.

If you need more than 60 days or 50 pitches, investigate full planning permission.

What Class BC excludes

Class BC does not apply to every site.

The legislation excludes development:

On a scheduled monument.
In a safety hazard area.
In a military explosives storage area.
On a Site of Special Scientific Interest.
On a listed building site.
For the siting of a caravan, unless it is a motor vehicle designed or adapted for human habitation.

Do not assume a tent field is exempt from every planning issue.

Check conservation areas, National Parks, National Landscapes, heritage assets, ecology, public rights of way and local planning policies.

Class BC may not apply where an Article 4 direction removes the right.

Ask your local planning authority to confirm the position for your land.

Tents, motorhomes and caravans

Class BC does not give a general right to site every type of caravan.

The wording refers to a caravan used as a motor vehicle designed or adapted for human habitation. This can cover some campervans and motorhomes.

Do not assume that static caravans, touring caravans or other units are covered.

Check the legal definition and speak to the planning and licensing teams before you advertise caravan pitches.

Notification and the site plan

Notify your local planning authority in writing before you start in each calendar year.

Your notification must include:

The proposed operating dates.
A copy of the site plan.
Details of toilet facilities.
Details of waste disposal facilities.

Your plan should also show:

Pitch locations.
Site boundaries.
Entrances and exits.
Internal routes.
Emergency access.
Parking areas.
Toilets and handwashing.
Waste and recycling points.
Water points.
Fire points.
Nearby buildings and access routes.

The plan must match the site you operate.

Do not send one plan and use another layout.

The local planning authority must pass the notification to the relevant fire and rescue authority where required. Build this into your timetable. Do not wait until the first booking arrives.

Use the GOV.UK planning permission guidance and check your council’s local process.

Flood Zone 2 and Flood Zone 3

Flood risk adds a prior approval step.

If the proposed campsite is on land in Flood Zone 2 or Flood Zone 3, you must apply to the local planning authority for prior approval before starting in each calendar year.

Submit:

The prior approval application.
A site-specific flood risk assessment.
Warning arrangements.
An evacuation plan.
Any required fee.

The local planning authority must consult the Environment Agency.

Do not start camping until:

You receive written prior approval, or
56 days pass after the application is received without the authority notifying you of its decision.

This is not permission to ignore flood risk.

Plan safe evacuation routes. Keep access clear. Give guests simple instructions. Check mobile coverage and emergency contact arrangements.

Start with the Environment Agency Flood Map for Planning.

Then read the GOV.UK flood risk assessment guidance.

Article 4 directions

An Article 4 direction can remove permitted development rights from a defined area or site.

If it removes Class BC, you cannot rely on the 60-day campsite right.

You may need full planning permission.

Check:

Your local planning authority’s Article 4 register.
Local planning constraint maps.
The exact wording of the direction.
The date it takes effect.
Whether it covers temporary recreational campsites.

Do not rely on a national rule without checking local restrictions.

The old 28-day rule

The old 28-day rule often appears in camping discussions.

In England, the former temporary use route under Class B is no longer the main route for temporary recreational campsites. Class BC now provides the specific 60-day campsite right, subject to its conditions.

The old rule may still matter in other contexts, including some campsite licence exemptions. It does not replace Class BC notification, toilets, waste facilities or flood prior approval.

Use the correct rule for the activity you plan.

For Wales, the position is different.

Under the 2026 Welsh changes, Class BA provides a temporary recreational campsite route. It allows up to 60 days in many locations, but the limit is 28 days in National Parks, National Landscapes and World Heritage Sites.

The Welsh route also includes prior approval requirements and other restrictions.

Read the Welsh legislation and the Welsh Government prior approval guidance.

Do not apply England’s Class BC rules to land in Wales.

Camping licences and other duties

Planning and licensing are separate.

Class BC does not automatically give you a campsite licence.

A licence may be required under the Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act 1960.

Some exemptions may apply. They depend on the type of camping, the units used and the operating period.

Ask your local authority licensing team.

Also plan for:

Drinking water.
Toilets and handwashing.
Waste collection.
Grey water and sewage.
Fire safety.
First aid.
Emergency access.
Food hygiene, if you serve food.
Alcohol licensing, if relevant.
Public liability insurance.
Guest records and incident logs.
Privacy and booking information.

Do not describe these checks as optional.

A landowner action plan

1. Assess the land

Mark the proposed campsite boundary.

Check ownership, access rights, drainage, nearby homes, public rights of way and land designations.

Use the Environment Agency flood map.

Ask the local planning authority about Article 4 directions.

2. Choose the campsite model

Decide whether you will offer:

Tent pitches.
Campervan or motorhome pitches.
Guided camping.
Wildlife stays.
Farm stays.
Pub or hotel camping.
Group and corporate bookings.

Keep the first season within the Class BC limits.

3. Plan access

Use an existing entrance where possible.

Check gate width, turning space, road visibility and ground conditions.

Separate guest routes from farm traffic.

Keep emergency access clear.

Physical works may need separate planning or highways approval. Check before changing a highway entrance or creating permanent surfacing.

4. Design the site

Prepare a clear site plan.

Show pitches, toilets, waste points, parking, water, fire points and emergency routes.

Keep guests away from livestock, machinery, water hazards and unstable ground.

5. Set operating controls

Create simple guest rules.

Cover fires, vehicles, noise, dogs, waste, children, water and farm boundaries.

Give guests an arrival briefing.

Inspect the site each day.

Log incidents and repairs.

6. Notify and apply

Send the annual Class BC notification before opening.

Submit prior approval if the land is in Flood Zone 2 or 3.

Check whether a campsite licence is required.

Keep copies of every document.

7. Review the season

Track the 60 days.

Track the pitch numbers.

Review waste, access, complaints and incidents.

Remove temporary structures when the operating period ends.

Plan next year from the records.

Turn farm diversification into licensed camping

A campsite can add a new income stream to a farm, pub or hotel.

Start with a small site.

Use existing facilities where suitable.

Set clear booking limits.

Work with local suppliers.

Offer walks, wildlife activities and guided outdoor experiences.

Connect the stay with local food and nearby attractions.

The aim is simple. Give guests access to nature, manage the land well and meet the rules.

Open Sky Adventure can help you explore a structured route for outdoor camping opportunities. Visit Unlock Your Land and Potential, review The Legals, then sign up through the website.

We will happily help you, signup live now if you have an interest in joining our license agreement.

Planning and licensing rules change. Check the current position with the relevant local authority. Obtain current advice from a qualified planning or licensing professional before you open.

Open Sky Adventure does not provide legal advice.