Meta description: Learn how farmers, pubs, hotels and rural landowners can use camping legislation UK 2026 to create compliant campsite income through Class BC England or Class BA Wales.
Hello, farmer, pub owner, hotel operator or rural landowner.
Your land may create new income.
Camping can support farm diversification camping, rural tourism and hospitality revenue.
Start with the rules.
Then build the right model.
Know the temporary campsite 60 days rule
The 28-day rule is no longer the main route for temporary campsites in England and Wales.
Use the correct permitted development rights instead.
- England uses Class BC.
- Wales uses Class BA.
Both routes can allow a temporary recreational campsite for up to 60 days in a calendar year.
The days can be split across the season.
Track every operating day.
Do not assume a new booking period gives you extra days.
Planning rights are separate from campsite licensing.
A licence may still be required if tents remain on land for more than 42 consecutive days or more than 60 days in a calendar year.
Check your local authority before you take bookings.
For wider background, read Open Sky Adventure’s guide to UK camping legislation and permitted development rights.
Choose between Class BC England and Class BA Wales
Your location decides the route.
Class BC camping England
Class BC permits a temporary recreational campsite for:
- Up to 60 days per calendar year.
- No more than 50 pitches.
- Tents and motorhomes or campervans.
- Moveable structures needed for the use.
- On-site toilet and waste facilities.
Regular towed caravans are not allowed under Class BC.
You must notify your local planning authority in writing before the campsite opens each calendar year.
Include:
- A clear site plan.
- Pitch locations.
- Toilet facilities.
- Waste disposal facilities.
- Operating dates.
- Access details.
You need prior approval before opening if the site sits in Flood Zone 2 or Flood Zone 3.
Submit a site-specific flood risk assessment.
Include warning and evacuation arrangements.
Wait for written approval, or the relevant statutory period to expire, before starting. Get current advice on the exact process.
Class BC does not include a general 100-metre buffer from homes.
Other restrictions still apply.
Check for:
- Scheduled monuments.
- Sites of Special Scientific Interest.
- Listed building sites.
- Safety hazard areas.
- Military explosives storage areas.
- Conservation constraints.
- Local Article 4 directions.
Read the Class BC camping guidance before you design the site.
Class BA camping Wales
Class BA provides the temporary campsite route in Wales.
It normally allows:
- Up to 60 days per calendar year.
- Up to 28 days in National Parks.
- Up to 28 days in National Landscapes or AONBs.
- Up to 28 days in World Heritage Sites.
- Moveable structures needed for the campsite.
Wales has no stated national 50-pitch limit under Class BA.
That does not mean unlimited capacity.
Your council can assess the scale, access, facilities, traffic and local impact.
Class BA also includes a 100-metre buffer from protected dwellings.
Measure it before you draw the pitch layout.
A protected dwelling usually means a home occupied by someone other than the campsite owner or operator.
Do not place pitches or campsite facilities inside the restricted area.
You must submit an annual determination application before operating.
The council will decide whether prior approval is required.
The process can consider:
- Toilets and wastewater.
- Waste disposal.
- Vehicular access.
- Traffic.
- Flooding.
- Ecology.
- Noise.
- Landscape impact.
If the council requires prior approval, obtain it before opening.
See the Class BA camping Wales guide and check the Welsh legislation.
Build your campsite in eight steps
1. Assess your land
Walk the site.
Check the ground.
Mark homes, roads, tracks, watercourses and boundaries.
Check flood risk.
Check protected designations.
Check whether the site is in England or Wales.
Ask your local planning authority about unclear points.
Keep copies of your checks.
2. Choose the campsite model
Pick one simple model first.
Tent camping
Use marked grass pitches.
Keep the layout flexible.
Provide toilets, waste points and clear arrival instructions.
Campervan camping
Check the Class BC limits in England.
Campervans and motorhomes may qualify.
Towed caravans do not.
Plan turning space.
Keep vehicles away from wet ground and emergency routes.
Glamping-lite
Use moveable bell tents, safari tents or similar structures where allowed.
Do not install fixed cabins without checking planning permission.
Treat plumbing, platforms, power and permanent foundations as separate issues.
Guided camping
Add a service rather than more infrastructure.
Offer guided walks, wildlife trips, navigation sessions or outdoor skills.
This can suit Open Sky Adventure’s focus on guided adventure and safe outdoor experiences.
3. Plan access
Show the route from the public highway.
Check visibility.
Check the gate width.
Allow emergency vehicles to enter.
Provide turning space.
Separate parking from pitches where possible.
Plan delivery, waste collection and maintenance routes.
Do not rely on a farm track until you have tested it in wet conditions.
4. Design the site
Create a scaled plan.
Show every pitch.
Mark toilets.
Mark wastewater storage.
Mark waste and recycling points.
Show parking and vehicle routes.
Keep pitches away from watercourses and sensitive areas.
In Wales, show the 100-metre protected dwelling buffer.
In England, show flood zones and any prior approval area.
Keep the layout easy to inspect.
5. Set operating controls
Write simple site rules.
Set arrival and departure times.
Limit noise.
Control fires.
Set vehicle speeds.
Keep emergency contact details visible.
Record incidents.
Check toilets each day.
Remove waste on a fixed schedule.
Use a booking calendar to track every operating day.
Stop taking bookings before you reach the legal limit.
6. Notify or apply
Use the correct process.
For Class BC England, send written notification to the local planning authority each calendar year.
For Class BA Wales, submit the annual determination application.
If prior approval is required, complete that process before opening.
Keep:
- Submission receipts.
- Council letters.
- Site plans.
- Flood assessments.
- Operating calendars.
- Waste records.
- Licence documents.
Do not advertise the site as compliant until the checks are complete.
7. Price your pitches
Start with your costs.
List:
- Toilets.
- Waste collection.
- Insurance.
- Cleaning.
- Staff.
- Card and booking fees.
- Track repairs.
- Water.
- Marketing.
- Open Sky Adventure support or licensing costs.
Then set a simple price.
For example:
10 pitches × £35 × 40 operating nights = £14,000 gross pitch revenue.
This is an illustration.
It does not include costs.
Add income from:
- Breakfasts.
- Pub meals.
- Farm produce.
- Firewood where permitted.
- Guided activities.
- Equipment hire.
- Group bookings.
- Midweek packages.
Keep the first season manageable.
Test demand.
Then expand within the correct planning route.
8. Market the season
Open bookings early.
Show the site clearly.
List the pitch type.
State what campers must bring.
Publish access details.
Explain toilet and waste arrangements.
Link the site to nearby walks, pubs, attractions and activities.
Use your existing customer base.
Ask guests for reviews.
Promote midweek stays.
Fill quieter dates before adding infrastructure.
Help pubs and hotels add camping revenue
You may already have the facilities.
Use them carefully.
A pub can offer:
- Campsite pitches behind or beside the premises.
- Toilets during opening hours.
- Breakfasts.
- Evening meals.
- Local products.
- Walking information.
- Booked guided activities.
A hotel can offer:
- Overflow camping during busy periods.
- Camping and room packages.
- Breakfast access.
- Showers where suitable.
- Luggage storage.
- Guided outdoor experiences.
- Group and corporate bookings.
Existing facilities can reduce setup costs.
They do not remove planning or licensing duties.
Check capacity.
Control access.
Protect hotel guests and campers from conflict.
Keep waste, parking and toilets separate where possible.
Avoid the mistakes that kill profitability
Exceeding the day limit
One extra day can create a compliance problem.
Track the whole calendar year.
Include split bookings and group use.
Ignoring licensing
Permitted development rights do not automatically create a campsite licence exemption.
Check the 42-consecutive-day and 60-day licensing thresholds.
Using the wrong units
Class BC England does not permit regular towed caravans.
Do not list them by mistake.
Weak site plans
A rough sketch causes delays.
Use scale.
Add measurements.
Label each facility.
Show dates and access.
No waste plan
Waste affects neighbours, wildlife and your costs.
Set collection days.
Use secure storage.
Keep removal records.
Overbuilding
Fixed structures may need other planning consents.
Start with moveable facilities.
Ask before installing cabins, hardstanding, drainage or permanent utilities.
Ignoring flood risk
Check the flood zone before spending money.
England requires prior approval in Flood Zones 2 and 3.
Wales can examine flood risk through the determination process.
Treating Wales like England
Wales has the 100-metre protected dwelling buffer.
Protected landscapes can reduce the limit to 28 days.
Use the correct route.
Work with Open Sky Adventure
Open Sky Adventure is an industry-leading authority in licensed camping and outdoor experiences.
We help landowners assess opportunities, plan compliant operations and create useful camping income.
Our support can help you:
- Review your land.
- Choose a camping model.
- Plan your operating controls.
- Understand the legal route.
- Prepare for licensed camping.
- Connect camping with guided adventure.
- Create a safer guest experience.
Review how to unlock your land’s potential.
Read our legal information.
Then join the Open Sky Adventure group and sign up on our website.
We will happily help you, signup live now if you have an interest in joining our license agreement.
Start with your land.
Check the rules.
Choose your model.
Plan the site.
Open with control.
Important note
This article gives general information about camping legislation UK 2026.
It is not legal or planning advice.
Rules, guidance and local requirements can change.
Speak to your local planning authority and relevant regulators before opening.
Use qualified professional advice for your site.