Meta description: Learn how Class BC camping England and Class BA camping Wales rules work in 2026, including the 60-day rule, 28-day limit, 100m buffer, prior approval and campsite profit planning.
Hello, farmer, hospitality owner or rural landowner.
Your unused field may support a campsite.
You must choose the correct legal route first.
This guide explains camping legislation UK 2026, the permitted development rights campsite UK rules, and practical steps for building a compliant income stream.
Planning rules differ between England and Wales.
Check your location before you spend money.
Start with the correct permitted development right
Class BC camping England
In England, Class BC camping England allows you to use land as a temporary recreational campsite for:
- Up to 60 days in one calendar year
- No more than 50 pitches
- Tents
- Motorhomes and campervans designed for habitation
- Moveable structures reasonably needed for the campsite
You must provide toilets and waste disposal facilities on site.
You must notify your local planning authority in writing before the campsite starts each calendar year.
Your notice must include:
- A site plan
- Toilet locations
- Waste facilities
- Exact operating dates
Class BC does not cover touring caravans or static caravans.
It also does not apply to certain protected or restricted sites, including scheduled monuments, Sites of Special Scientific Interest, listed building sites, safety hazard areas and military explosives storage areas.
Read the official Class BC legislation before you prepare your site.
Class BA camping Wales
In Wales, Class BA camping Wales creates a separate route for temporary recreational campsites.
The annual limit depends on the location:
| Location | Maximum campsite use |
|---|---|
| Outside a National Park, National Landscape or World Heritage Site | 60 days |
| Inside a National Park, National Landscape or World Heritage Site | 28 days |
The 28-day limit applies to protected landscapes.
Do not assume that the old 28-day rule gives you a general campsite right.
Class BA now has its own yearly process.
You must apply to the local planning authority for a determination before you begin.
You must provide information about:
- Toilets
- Wastewater
- Waste disposal
- Vehicle access
- Pitches
- Operating dates
- Site boundaries
Use the Welsh Government temporary campsite form.
Understand the temporary campsite 60 days rule
The 60 days are a total annual allowance.
They are not 60 days per pitch.
They are not 60 days per booking.
They are not 60 days for every field.
Keep one day-count record for the whole campsite operation.
Use the dates carefully.
You can group days around periods of demand, such as:
- Easter
- May bank holidays
- School half-term
- Summer holidays
- August bank holiday
- October half-term
- Walking and event weekends
Close the site between trading blocks.
Use closed periods to:
- Repair access
- Rest the grass
- Move facilities
- Remove waste
- Check fences
- Review bookings
- Record site condition
Field rotation does not create extra legal days.
It only helps you manage the land.
Check the 28-day rule in protected areas
The 28-day limit matters in Wales.
If your land sits inside a National Park, National Landscape or World Heritage Site, plan for no more than 28 campsite days in the calendar year.
Check the designation before you advertise dates.
A site near a protected boundary needs careful mapping.
Ask your local planning authority to confirm the position if the boundary is unclear.
England has a different system.
The old general 28-day temporary use rule under Class B is not a general route for ordinary camping. Since the transition ended, ordinary recreational camping in England should be checked against Class BC or another lawful planning route.
Do not rely on an old campsite template.
Use the current rules for the country where your land sits.
Measure the 100m buffer zone campsite Wales rule
The 100m buffer zone campsite Wales requirement is a key Class BA check.
Class BA does not permit campsite use within 100 metres of a protected dwelling.
This can include a nearby home, flat or occupied dwelling that is not used by the campsite operator.
Measure the proposed camping area.
Do not measure only from the farmhouse or main hospitality building.
Do not assume that a large field avoids the rule.
Complete these checks:
- Identify nearby dwellings.
- Confirm who occupies them.
- Mark the 100-metre distance on a scaled plan.
- Remove pitches inside the buffer.
- Place pitches beyond the buffer.
- Ask the local planning authority to confirm your approach.
A private access way may pass through the buffer where the legal requirements are met.
Camping cannot take place inside the restricted area.
Also check for other Welsh exclusions, including:
- Flood Zones 2 and 3
- Sites of Special Scientific Interest
- Special Areas of Conservation
- Special Protection Areas
- Ramsar sites
- Scheduled monuments
- Listed building sites
- Safety hazard areas
- Military explosives storage areas
You may need full planning permission if Class BA does not apply.
Complete prior approval campsite steps
England
For Class BC, prior approval applies where the proposed campsite is in Flood Zone 2 or Flood Zone 3.
Submit:
- A site-specific flood risk assessment
- Warning arrangements
- An evacuation plan
- The required fee
- Your site plan
- Your proposed operating dates
The local planning authority must consult the Environment Agency.
The determination period is normally 56 days.
Do not open just because you submitted the application.
Start only after written approval or the relevant period has passed without the authority notifying you of its decision.
Check the Environment Agency flood risk guidance.
Wales
For Class BA, submit the annual determination before campsite use starts.
The local planning authority considers whether prior approval is needed.
The process covers:
- Toilet arrangements
- Wastewater
- Waste disposal
- Vehicle access
- Site layout
- Operating dates
- Location limits
Allow at least 28 days for the authority’s determination process.
If prior approval is required, wait for written approval before opening.
Keep every document.
Save:
- The form
- The site plan
- The submission receipt
- The authority’s response
- Any approval conditions
- Your operating calendar
Use the Welsh Class BA legislation with the local authority guidance.
Build a profitable farm diversification camping plan
Start with one field.
Keep the layout simple.
Use tents first if the ground, access and demand support them.
Add motorhome and campervan pitches only after checking turning space, drainage and surface conditions.
Separate campers from livestock.
Protect gates, water points and machinery routes.
Provide clear guest instructions.
Set quiet hours.
Use a site plan that shows:
- Pitches
- Entry and exit routes
- Parking
- Toilets
- Waste points
- Water points
- Fire points
- Emergency access
- Nearby dwellings
- Flood risks
- Field boundaries
Do not install permanent buildings and assume Class BC or Class BA covers them.
Moveable facilities may be allowed.
Permanent structures may need separate planning advice.
Use hospitality to increase income
A campsite can support an existing rural business.
Farmers can offer:
- Nature walks
- Wildlife activities
- Farm tours
- Local produce
- Outdoor skills sessions
Pubs can offer:
- Breakfast bookings
- Evening meals
- Local walking information
- Group stays
- Weekend packages
Hotels can connect camping with:
- Food
- Events
- Guided activities
- Parking
- Outdoor recreation
Charge clearly.
Track:
- Occupancy
- Average booking value
- Cleaning cost
- Waste cost
- Staffing time
- Facility repairs
- Revenue per operating day
Start with controlled spending.
Test demand before buying equipment.
Keep a reserve for wet weather, grass repair and waste collection.
Check licensing separately
Planning permission and site licensing are different matters.
Class BC or Class BA does not automatically remove licensing duties.
A camping site may need a licence where it operates beyond relevant licensing thresholds or does not qualify for an exemption.
Ask your local authority about:
- Site licensing
- Public health rules
- Fire safety
- Wastewater
- Environmental health
- Insurance
- Food sales
- Alcohol licensing
Do this before you accept bookings.
Use Open Sky Adventure for your next step
Open Sky Adventure helps farmers, hospitality owners and rural landowners assess land for compliant camping.
We can help you review:
- Class BC camping England
- Class BA camping Wales
- The temporary campsite 60 days rule
- The 28-day limit in protected areas
- The 100m buffer zone campsite Wales requirement
- Site plans
- Operating calendars
- Facilities
- Guest safety
- Licensing routes
- Land diversification opportunities
Start with Unlock Your Land and Potential.
Then contact Open Sky Adventure with your site location, land use and proposed dates.
Join the group.
Sign up on the website.
We will happily help you, signup live now if you have an interest in joining our license agreement.
Check the rules.
Map the land.
Submit the right documents.
Then open your campsite with a clear plan.