Hello, farmer, pub owner, hotel operator, or rural landowner. Your Welsh land may support a campsite.
Check Class BA first.
The new Welsh permitted development right supports temporary recreational campsites. It can help you diversify farmland, add income to a rural business, or give guests another reason to stay.
The process still has rules.
You need an annual application to your local planning authority (LPA). You must check the 100-metre buffer. You must plan toilets, wastewater, waste disposal, and vehicle access.
This guide shows you what to do.
This article explains the process. It is not legal advice. Confirm your site position with your LPA before taking bookings or starting work.
What Class BA allows in Wales
Class BA applies to temporary recreational campsites in Wales.
Outside a National Park, National Landscape, or World Heritage Site, it allows camping for:
- Up to 60 days in one calendar year
- Moveable structures needed for the campsite
Inside a National Park, National Landscape, or World Heritage Site, the limit is:
- Up to 28 days in one calendar year
Count the days from 1 January to 31 December.
Do not count by season. Do not count by booking period.
Keep a daily operating log. Record every day when the land is used as a campsite.
Class BA does not permit the siting of caravans, except for a motor vehicle designed or adapted for human habitation, such as a motorhome. Check the rules before accepting campervans, tents, or other camping units.
Read the official Class BA legislation.
Step 1: Check whether your land qualifies
Start with a site check.
Class BA does not apply to every field. The right does not cover land:
- On a scheduled monument
- In a special area of conservation
- In a safety hazard area
- In a military explosives storage area
- On a Site of Special Scientific Interest
- On a Ramsar site
- On a listed building site
- In a special protection area
- In Flood Zone 2 or Flood Zone 3
- Within 100 metres of a protected dwelling, except for a private way
A protected dwelling means a house or flat occupied by someone other than the campsite owner or operator.
Check your site boundaries. Check planning maps. Check flood maps. Ask your LPA if the position is unclear.
Do this before you buy toilets, install gates, or advertise pitches.
Step 2: Map the 100-metre buffer
The 100-metre rule is central to Class BA camping in Wales.
Measure from every protected dwelling near your land. Mark a 100-metre buffer on your site plan.
Do not place the following inside that buffer under Class BA:
- Tent pitches
- Motorhome pitches
- Toilets
- Wastewater facilities
- Waste facilities
- Parking areas
- Campsite buildings
- Other campsite amenities
A private way can pass through the buffer where you have a legal right to use it for access or egress.
The private-way exception does not allow camping inside the buffer.
If your proposed camping area falls inside the 100-metre zone, do not rely on Class BA. You will normally need full planning permission for that camping use.
Plan around the buffer
Move pitches away from homes.
Use the remaining land for access, facilities, and emergency routes. Keep guests away from nearby properties. Set quiet hours. Control lighting. Manage vehicles.
If the usable area becomes too small, choose another field.
Do not force a layout that cannot work.
Step 3: Set your annual operating dates
Choose your dates before you submit the application.
The dates must sit within one calendar year.
Use no more than:
- 60 days outside protected landscapes
- 28 days inside protected landscapes
You can operate on consecutive days. You can also split the allowance into shorter periods.
For example, you could use selected weekends, school holidays, or several blocks during the year.
List every operating date in your plan.
Submit a new determination application for every calendar year in which you want to operate.
Do not assume one application covers future years.
Step 4: Prepare the site plan
Your plan must help the LPA understand the proposal.
Use a clear plan at an identified scale.
Mark:
- The full site boundary
- The 100-metre buffer
- Nearby protected dwellings
- Every pitch
- Toilets
- Wastewater facilities
- Waste disposal points
- The site entrance
- Access from the public highway
- Internal vehicle routes
- Turning areas
- Emergency access
- Other amenities
- The proposed operating dates
Add a short written explanation.
State how many pitches you want. Explain how guests will use the site. Explain how you will service toilets and manage waste.
Do not submit a vague sketch.
A clear plan helps the LPA check eligibility and decide whether prior approval is needed.
Step 5: Apply for the annual determination
Before you start camping in that calendar year, apply to your LPA.
The application asks the authority to determine whether prior approval is required.
The application covers:
- Toilet and wastewater facilities
- Waste disposal facilities
- Vehicular access to the site
Use the Welsh Government Class BA determination form.
Send the form with your site plan and supporting details.
Check the LPA’s submission method. Some authorities use an online planning system. Others accept applications by email or post.
Keep:
- A copy of the completed form
- The submitted plans
- Your payment record, if requested
- Proof of submission
- The date the LPA received the application
- Every letter and email from the LPA
Welsh Government guidance currently states that this Class BA process is fee-free. Check the latest LPA instructions before submitting.
Step 6: Track the 28-day response window
The LPA has 28 days from receiving the application.
It must either:
- Tell you that prior approval is not required
- Tell you that prior approval is required
- Tell you that the application is invalid or does not comply
The 28 days is the LPA response window.
It is not the camping limit.
The camping limit remains 60 days or 28 days, depending on the site location.
If the LPA does not notify you that the application is invalid, and does not issue a determination within 28 days, Class BA allows you to proceed, provided the proposal meets the other rules.
Do not start early.
Wait for written confirmation where required. Record the date the LPA received your application. Keep evidence that your submission was complete.
Step 7: Complete prior approval if required
The LPA may decide that prior approval is required.
This is more likely where the proposal could create a material increase or material change in traffic near the site.
If the LPA requires prior approval, submit the further application.
The authority may request information about:
- Highway access
- Traffic movements
- Road safety
- Site entrance width
- Turning space
- Emergency access
- Toilet provision
- Wastewater arrangements
- Waste collection
- Site management
Do not open while this application is outstanding.
You must receive written prior approval before the campsite starts.
Follow the approved details. The LPA may add conditions linked to the matters under review.
Step 8: Install practical facilities
Class BA requires suitable toilet and waste arrangements for campers.
Plan these before you take bookings.
Choose a toilet system that matches:
- Guest numbers
- Operating days
- Ground conditions
- Water availability
- Wastewater capacity
- Servicing access
Arrange lawful wastewater disposal. Use a suitable waste contractor. Provide clear bins. Keep collection records.
Place facilities outside the 100-metre buffer.
Keep service vehicles away from guest areas where possible. Maintain access for emergency vehicles.
Step 9: Check licensing and other duties
Permitted development rights do not remove every legal requirement.
Check whether you need:
- A campsite licence
- A caravan site licence
- Public liability insurance
- Fire safety measures
- Waste contracts
- Water and wastewater permissions
- Food business registration
- Environmental permits
- Health and safety controls
Contact your local licensing team.
Ask for written guidance about your camping type, guest numbers, and operating period.
Keep one compliance file. Store the application, plans, approval notices, licences, insurance, waste records, inspection records, and operating log together.
Build a compliant campsite with Open Sky Adventure
Class BA can support farm diversification camping, pub campsite development, hotel campsite facilities, and rural hospitality businesses.
The right plan comes first.
Check the land. Map the buffer. Set the dates. Draw the facilities. Submit the annual application. Track the 28-day window. Wait for approval when required.
Open Sky Adventure helps landowners turn complex camping legislation into a clear site plan. We support practical layouts, safety systems, compliance checks, and licensed camping operations.
Read The Legals. Explore how to unlock your land. Then contact Open Sky Adventure.
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.