Meta description: Understand UK camping legislation in 2026, including England’s Class BC, Wales’s Class BA, the 60-day rule, the 28-day rule, licensing, prior approval and campsite compliance.
Hello, landowner.
Your land may support a temporary campsite.
You must use the correct planning route.
England and Wales now have different rules.
This guide explains the main requirements for farmers, pub owners, hotel owners and rural landowners.
It is practical guidance, not legal advice. Ask your local planning authority, licensing team and insurer to confirm your position.
Class BC and Class BA: the short answer
| Location | Main campsite right | Annual limit | Key process |
|---|---|---|---|
| England | Class BC | 60 days, maximum 50 pitches | Annual written notification, prior approval in Flood Zones 2 and 3 |
| Wales | Class BA | 60 days, or 28 days in protected landscapes | Annual determination, then prior approval if required |
Use Class BC for England.
Use Class BA for Wales.
Do not treat the old 28-day rule as a general campsite right.
In England, Class BC is now the main permitted development route for temporary recreational campsites.
In Wales, Class BA applies from September 2026. It allows 60 days on most land, but only 28 days in National Parks, National Landscapes and World Heritage Sites.
Read the England Class BC legislation and the Welsh Class BA legislation.
England Class BC camping rules
Class BC allows you to use land as a recreational campsite for up to 60 days in total in one calendar year.
You can provide:
- Up to 50 pitches
- Tents
- Motorhomes and campervans
- Moveable structures reasonably needed for the campsite
- Portable toilets and waste facilities
Class BC does not permit every type of caravan.
The legislation excludes caravans unless they are motor vehicles designed or adapted for human habitation. Check the position of touring caravans, static caravans and glamping units before taking bookings.
Class BC does not allow permanent buildings, fixed tracks or permanent hardstanding.
Remove temporary facilities when the camping use ends.
England’s annual notification
Before starting the campsite in each calendar year, notify your local planning authority in writing.
Send:
- A site plan
- The operating dates
- The pitch locations
- Toilet details
- Waste disposal details
- Access and emergency access details
The local planning authority must also share the notice with the relevant fire and rescue authority where required.
Keep a copy of your notification.
Keep a calendar of every operating day.
A day can count when camping facilities remain available, even if no guest stays overnight. Do not move guests between fields to create extra days.
England’s protected land limits
Class BC does not apply to:
- Scheduled monument sites
- Sites of Special Scientific Interest
- Listed building sites
- Safety hazard areas
- Military explosives storage areas
Check for Article 4 Directions.
Check for planning conditions that remove permitted development rights.
National Parks and National Landscapes can also have local controls. Ask the relevant authority before relying on Class BC.
England’s flood-risk route
Class BC needs prior approval before use in Flood Zone 2 or Flood Zone 3.
Submit:
- A site-specific flood risk assessment
- Warning arrangements
- Evacuation arrangements
- The site plan
- The required fee
The local planning authority must consult the Environment Agency.
The authority must allow at least 21 days for a response.
The statutory decision period is 56 days.
Do not open before written approval, or before the 56-day period ends without a decision, subject to the legislation and your application being valid.
Check the Environment Agency Flood Map for Planning.
Wales Class BA camping rules
Class BA allows temporary recreational camping for:
- Up to 60 days on most land
- Up to 28 days in a National Park
- Up to 28 days in a National Landscape
- Up to 28 days in a World Heritage Site
Class BA allows moveable structures reasonably needed for the camping use.
The legislation does not set the same 50-pitch limit as England.
That does not mean unlimited development is suitable.
Large sites can create traffic, waste, habitat, noise and safety impacts. The local planning authority can require prior approval or planning permission.
The Wales 100-metre rule
This point causes confusion.
The 100-metre buffer is a Wales Class BA restriction.
It applies to land within 100 metres of a protected dwelling.
A protected dwelling means a dwellinghouse or flat occupied by someone other than the campsite owner or operator.
Class BA cannot be used within that 100-metre area, except for an existing private way.
This is not a general England Class BC rule.
England Class BC has no equivalent national 100-metre protected-dwelling restriction.
You must still manage neighbours, noise, lighting, traffic and privacy in England.
Measure the Welsh buffer.
Show it on your site plan.
Wales’s annual determination process
Before beginning development each calendar year, apply to your local planning authority for a determination.
Ask whether prior approval is required.
Include:
- A site plan
- Pitch and amenity locations
- Toilet and wastewater arrangements
- Waste disposal arrangements
- Highway access details
- Operating dates
- The required information and fee
The authority has 28 days to respond.
It may confirm that prior approval is not required.
It may require a further prior approval application.
Do not start until you receive written confirmation, or the relevant 28-day period has passed without the authority issuing an incomplete notice or determination.
If prior approval is required, provide the extra information requested.
The authority may assess transport and highway effects.
It may consult the highway authority, trunk road authority, railway bodies or other consultees.
It should decide the prior approval application within eight weeks.
Operate only in line with the submitted or approved details.
Protected habitats and flood risk in Wales
Class BA does not apply to:
- Special Areas of Conservation
- Special Protection Areas
- Ramsar sites
- Sites of Special Scientific Interest
- Scheduled monuments
- Listed building sites
- Safety hazard areas
- Military explosives storage areas
- Flood Zones 2 and 3
- Land within 100 metres of a protected dwelling
Check habitat designations before planning your layout.
Wastewater, litter and poor campsite management can harm protected sites.
Natural Resources Wales may need to advise on potential effects.
Do not assume that a permitted development right removes environmental duties.
Class BA excludes land in Flood Zones 2 and 3.
You may need a full planning application.
Check the Welsh Government guidance for temporary campsites.
Fire, toilets, waste and access
Planning rights do not replace safety duties.
Complete a fire-risk assessment.
Keep pitches spaced apart.
Mark emergency access.
Keep gates unlocked or supervised during opening hours.
Provide fire points where suitable.
Set clear rules for fires, barbecues and smoking.
Keep fuel, gas and combustible waste away from sleeping areas.
Separate guests from livestock, machinery, watercourses and farm work.
Provide suitable toilets.
Provide handwashing facilities.
Plan wastewater storage and removal.
Store rubbish securely.
Use licensed waste contractors where required.
Keep food waste away from animals.
In Wales, toilet, wastewater, waste and access arrangements form part of the annual determination process.
In England, toilet and waste facilities are express Class BC conditions.
Do not rely on nearby pub toilets unless the arrangement is practical, available and accepted by the authority.
Planning permission and campsite licensing are separate
Permitted development is a planning route.
It is not a campsite licence.
You may need a site licence under the Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act 1960.
For tented sites, licensing can apply where camping continues for:
- More than 42 consecutive days, or
- More than 60 days in the relevant period
Check the exact position with your local council.
Caravans, motorhomes and campervans can have separate licensing requirements.
An exemption certificate may help eligible clubs and organisations. It is not a general commercial campsite solution. Read the current GOV.UK exemption certificate guidance.
Also check:
- Public liability insurance
- Employers’ liability insurance
- Food registration
- Trade waste arrangements
- Building regulations
- Electrical safety
- Water supply
- Fire safety
- Environmental permits
- Business rates
A practical 2026 compliance checklist
Complete these steps before taking bookings.
Land and planning
- Confirm whether the land is in England or Wales.
- Check Class BC or Class BA.
- Check the annual day limit.
- Check protected landscapes.
- Check Article 4 Directions.
- Check planning conditions.
- Check flood maps.
- Check protected habitats.
- Check nearby dwellings.
Site design
- Draw the full site boundary.
- Number every pitch.
- Mark toilets and handwashing.
- Mark wastewater and refuse points.
- Show vehicle access.
- Show emergency access.
- Show parking and turning.
- Mark watercourses and sensitive habitats.
- Measure the Wales 100-metre buffer.
Documents
- Prepare the annual England notification, or Wales determination application.
- Include exact operating dates.
- Include facility details.
- Prepare a flood risk assessment if required.
- Keep approval notices and correspondence.
- Keep a daily operating log.
- Record waste collections and safety checks.
Operations
- Stay within the pitch limit in England.
- Stay within the correct day limit.
- Remove temporary structures after use.
- Control fires and noise.
- Keep emergency routes clear.
- Report and manage incidents.
- Review complaints quickly.
Local planning authorities can impose restrictions or require planning permission. Ask before you invest in pods, lodges, fixed toilet blocks, tracks or hardstanding.
Farm diversification ideas for licensed camping
Start small.
Use camping as part of a wider rural offer.
Consider:
- Seasonal tent pitches
- Guided wildlife walks
- Farm tours
- Outdoor skills sessions
- Stargazing weekends
- Walking packages for hotel guests
- Pub-and-pitch stays
- Corporate team days
- Family nature activities
- Local food partnerships
- Guided hiking and camping trips
Keep the campsite separate from working areas.
Use your local knowledge.
Build safety into the service.
Open Sky Adventure helps landowners plan outdoor tourism, licensed camping and adventure experiences. Read our prior approval campsite guide, review the legal information, then join our community.
Join the Open Sky Adventure group
Check your land.
Choose the correct route.
Prepare your plan.
Contact your local authority.
Keep your records.
Sign up on the Open Sky Adventure website.
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