Meta description: Understand camping legislation UK 2026, Class BC camping England, Class BA camping Wales, the 28-day rule, the temporary campsite 60 days rule, Article 4 Directions and licensed camping in protected landscapes.
Hello, farmer, pub owner, hotel operator or rural landowner.
Your land may support camping.
Your planning permission may not.
The rules changed.
Protected landscapes add more checks.
Use this guide before you advertise pitches, accept bookings or install facilities.
This is practical guidance, not legal advice. Check your position with the relevant planning authority and licensing team.
The rule many landowners miss
The 28-day rule is not the same as the 60-day rule.
It is not a free pass for a campsite.
It is not a way to avoid licensing.
It does not cover a pub that lets campers stop every weekend for dinner.
If you use land as an operating camping or caravan site beyond the relevant 28-day limit, the use can fall under the Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act 1960.
That includes free or low-cost “camp with dinner” stopovers.
The commercial model does not decide the legal position.
Two main routes remain for an ongoing site beyond 28 days:
- Get planning permission and a full site licence.
- Use a valid Paragraph 5 certificate from an Exempted Organisation, within its conditions.
Open Sky Adventure holds Exempted Organisation status valid throughout Wales.
A Paragraph 5 site must follow its certificate terms, including the five-caravan limit where applicable.
Do not confuse:
- Planning permission
- Permitted development rights
- Site licensing
- Exempted Organisation certification
They are separate controls.
The 28-day rule versus the 60-day rule
The traditional 28-day rule covers limited temporary uses.
It is not the standard route for a normal campsite in England.
In England, ordinary temporary recreational campsites now use Class BC.
In Wales, temporary recreational campsites use Class BA from 2026.
| Route | Location | Main limit | Main check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class B or older 28-day route | England and Wales, where it still applies | 28 days | Camping restrictions and local Article 4 |
| Class BC | England | 60 days each calendar year | Written notification, 50-pitch limit |
| Class BA | Wales outside protected landscapes | 60 days each calendar year | Annual prior approval process |
| Class BA | Welsh National Parks, AONBs and World Heritage Sites | 28 days each calendar year | Annual process, 100m buffer |
| Paragraph 5 certificate | England and Wales | Certificate conditions | Usually no more than five caravans |
Count the whole site.
Do not reset the total by moving guests between fields.
Keep one operating calendar.
England: Class BC camping in National Parks and AONBs
Class BC camping England permits a temporary recreational campsite for up to 60 days in one calendar year.
It also permits:
- Up to 50 pitches
- Tents
- Motorhomes and campervans designed for human habitation
- Moveable structures reasonably needed for the campsite
It does not permit ordinary towable touring caravans.
Check the official Class BC legislation.
Notify the planning authority
You must notify the local planning authority in writing before the campsite starts each calendar year.
Send:
- A site plan
- Pitch locations
- Operating dates
- Toilet locations
- Waste disposal arrangements
- Site access details
Keep proof of submission.
Keep a copy of every plan.
Use exact dates.
Do not write “summer season”.
Write each operating block.
Check prior approval
Class BC needs prior approval before use starts if the land is in Flood Zone 2 or Flood Zone 3.
Submit the required flood risk information.
Include:
- Warning arrangements
- Evacuation arrangements
- Site access
- Emergency access
- The proposed operating dates
The legislation provides a 56-day process.
Do not open because you have submitted an application.
Wait for written approval or the relevant expiry of the determination period.
Check the exclusions
Class BC does not apply in several locations, including:
- Sites of Special Scientific Interest
- Scheduled monuments
- Sites of listed buildings
- Safety hazard areas
- Military explosives storage areas
England has no general 100m buffer for Class BC.
You still need to control:
- Noise
- Light
- Privacy
- Traffic
- Waste
- Fire risk
- Impact on nearby homes
National Park or AONB status does not automatically remove Class BC.
A local Article 4 Direction can remove or restrict it.
Always check before relying on this permitted development rights campsite UK route.
Wales: Class BA camping and the 100m buffer
Class BA camping Wales has different limits.
Outside protected landscapes, Class BA can allow a temporary recreational campsite for up to 60 days each calendar year.
Inside a Welsh:
- National Park
- Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
- World Heritage Site
the limit is 28 days each calendar year.
That is the first major difference.
Apply every year
Class BA requires an annual process before the campsite starts.
Submit a site plan with:
- Toilet and wastewater facilities
- Waste disposal facilities
- Pitch and amenity locations
- Highway access
- Operating dates
The local planning authority has 28 days to decide whether prior approval is required.
If it says approval is required, submit the further application.
Wait for written approval.
Do not start early.
Traffic can trigger prior approval.
This includes a material increase or material change in the character of traffic near the site.
Apply the 100m buffer zone campsite Wales rule
Class BA cannot apply within 100 metres of a protected dwelling, except for a private way.
A protected dwelling means a dwellinghouse or flat occupied by someone other than the campsite owner or operator.
Map every nearby home.
Measure from the proposed campsite land.
Do not measure only from the pub entrance.
Do not assume a large farm removes the problem.
Keep pitches, toilets and access outside the restricted area.
Class BA also excludes several sensitive areas, including:
- SACs
- SPAs
- Ramsar sites
- SSSIs
- Scheduled monuments
- Listed building sites
- Flood Zones 2 and 3
- Safety hazard areas
Class BA does not permit ordinary touring caravans.
It can cover a motor vehicle designed or adapted for human habitation, such as a motorhome or campervan, where the conditions are met.
Check the Welsh Class BA legislation.
Protected landscapes: check Article 4 before PDR
An Article 4 Direction can remove permitted development rights.
It does not always ban camping.
It can mean that you need planning permission before you start.
Eryri and Snowdonia
Eryri’s current Article 4 Direction took effect in June 2025.
It targets changes between dwelling uses, including:
- Main homes
- Second homes
- Short-term holiday lets
It does not target caravan or camping permitted development rights.
The Eryri SPG says the authority will not support new touring or camping sites.
That is policy guidance.
It is not the same as a legal removal of Class BA or other camping PDR.
Read the local policy.
Check the exact site.
Get written advice before you rely on PDR.
Read the Eryri Article 4 information and the adopted holiday homes SPG.
Pembrokeshire Coast
Pembrokeshire Coast has introduced a camping-specific Article 4 Direction.
It became effective in January 2026.
It targets temporary camping, caravan and mobile-home uses.
The position differs from Eryri.
Do not assume that an Article 4 for homes also covers camping.
Check the current local notice, the effective date and any transition rules.
From the 2026 Class BA changes, protected landscape sites also face the 28-day limit and the annual notification or prior approval process.
Read the Pembrokeshire Coast camping update.
Check every local Article 4 before you open.
Practical steps for farmers, pubs and hotels
Follow this order.
1. Check the location
Confirm:
- England or Wales
- National Park or AONB status
- World Heritage Site status
- SSSI, SAC, SPA or Ramsar status
- Flood zone
- Listed building curtilage
- Scheduled monument status
- Local Article 4 Directions
Use the relevant National Park or council planning map.
2. Choose the route
Use Class BC in England if you qualify.
Use Class BA in Wales if you qualify.
Use a Paragraph 5 certificate where the site operates through an Exempted Organisation.
For longer or larger commercial camping, use planning permission and a site licence.
Do not call a regular campsite a stopover.
3. Keep within the limits
Track:
- Operating days
- Pitch numbers
- Caravan numbers
- Guest numbers
- Temporary structures
- Field use
Remember the main limits:
- England Class BC: 60 days, up to 50 pitches
- Wales Class BA: 60 days outside protected landscapes
- Wales Class BA: 28 days inside protected landscapes
- Paragraph 5: no more than five caravans where the certificate requires it
Do not mix the limits.
4. Plan water and waste
Provide suitable toilets.
Plan wastewater disposal.
Use a lawful waste contractor.
Keep servicing records.
Do not empty grey water into hedges, drains or watercourses.
Check private water supply duties.
Check environmental permits where required.
5. Protect neighbours and roads
Keep a sensible buffer from homes.
Use the Welsh 100m rule where Class BA applies.
Keep pitches away from road bends and narrow access points.
Show emergency access on your plan.
Control lighting.
Set quiet hours.
Keep vehicles away from bedrooms, dining areas and farm traffic.
6. Monitor policy changes
Review the rules before every season.
Check:
- New Article 4 Directions
- Updated National Park SPG
- Changes to Class BC or Class BA
- Licensing guidance
- Water and waste requirements
- Local planning policies
Keep your compliance file current.
Build your farm diversification camping plan
Start small.
Use one field.
Keep the layout simple.
Mark every pitch.
Separate campers from livestock.
Provide clear guest rules.
Record every operating day.
For a pub or hotel, check the whole operation.
Your existing permission may cover the building.
It may not cover a separate campsite.
Check toilets, drainage, parking, fire routes, deliveries and insurance.
A meal does not turn a campsite into a pub use.
A free pitch does not remove licensing duties.
Planning permission does not replace a site licence.
A site licence does not replace planning permission.
Join the Open Sky Adventure group and sign up on the website.
Read our legal guidance and unlock your land and potential.
We will happily help you, signup live now if you have an interest in joining our license agreement.