Meta description: Compare Class BC camping England with Class BA camping Wales in 2026, including the 60-day rule, 28-day rule, prior approval and the Welsh 100m buffer.
Hello, farmer, pub owner, hotel operator or rural landowner.
Your land may support camping.
The planning route depends on the side of the border.
In England, check Class BC.
In Wales, check Class BA.
This guide compares both routes, explains the 28-day rule, and shows your next steps.
This is general information. Check your local planning authority before taking bookings.
Class BC vs Class BA at a glance
| Point | England: Class BC | Wales: Class BA |
|---|---|---|
| Main use | Temporary recreational campsite | Temporary recreational campsite |
| General annual limit | 60 days | 60 days |
| Protected landscapes | No separate 28-day limit under Class BC | 28 days in National Parks, National Landscapes and World Heritage Sites |
| Pitches | Up to 50 pitches | No specific pitch cap stated in Class BA |
| Tents | Yes | Yes |
| Campervans and motorhomes | Yes | Yes |
| Touring and static caravans | Not allowed under Class BC | Not allowed under Class BA |
| Annual process | Written notification | Annual determination request |
| Prior approval | Required in Flood Zones 2 and 3 | Required if the authority says it is needed |
| Flood Zones 2 and 3 | Prior approval route may apply | Class BA cannot be used |
| Welsh 100m buffer | Not applicable | Applies around protected dwellings |
The main point is simple.
England offers a more direct route outside higher-risk flood zones.
Wales requires more checks before you open.
England: what Class BC permits
Class BC camping England rights allow the temporary use of land as a recreational campsite.
The limit is:
- Up to 60 days in a calendar year
- Up to 50 pitches
- Tents
- Motorhomes
- Campervans designed or adapted for human habitation
- Moveable structures needed for the campsite
The 60 days apply to the site.
They do not apply to each pitch.
They do not apply to each booking.
Split the days across the year if you need to. Keep a written operating calendar.
Provide toilet and waste disposal facilities on site.
Send written notification to the local planning authority before the campsite starts each calendar year.
Your notification must include a site plan.
Show:
- Pitch locations
- Toilet facilities
- Waste facilities
- Site boundaries
- Dates of use
Read the official England Class BC legislation before you prepare your submission.
When England needs prior approval
Class BC uses a notification route in most cases.
Prior approval applies when the land is in Flood Zone 2 or Flood Zone 3.
You must apply before the campsite begins.
Include a site-specific flood risk assessment.
Cover:
- Flood warnings
- Evacuation
- Safe access
- Safe exit
- Pitch locations
- Operating dates
The local planning authority consults the Environment Agency.
The authority has a 56-day decision period under the Class BC process.
Do not open while approval is pending.
Check the GOV.UK flood risk service before you design the site.
England and the temporary campsite 60 days rule
Do not rely on the old 28-day rule for ordinary camping in England.
The general temporary use route no longer covers normal camping.
This affects:
- Farm campsites
- Pub stopovers
- Hotel camping
- Pop-up pitches
- Campervan stays
- Tent sites
The festival exception is different.
It does not create a general right to run a normal campsite.
Use Class BC where the land qualifies.
Apply for full planning permission where it does not.
What counts as the site in England?
Count the whole camping operation.
Do not count separate pitches as separate sites.
A field with 20 pitches remains one site if it operates as one campsite.
A second field may form part of the same operation.
Your site plan should show the full area used for:
- Pitches
- Toilets
- Waste storage
- Vehicle movement
- Reception
- Emergency access
- Temporary structures
Set the boundary before you submit the notification.
Keep your operating dates clear.
Wales: what Class BA permits
Class BA camping Wales rights allow temporary recreational camping.
The general limit is 60 days in a calendar year.
The limit falls to 28 days where the land is within:
- A National Park
- A National Landscape
- A World Heritage Site
Class BA can cover:
- Tents
- Motorhomes
- Campervans designed or adapted for human habitation
- Moveable structures needed for the campsite
It does not permit ordinary touring caravans or static caravans.
It also does not cover every Welsh field.
Check the official Welsh Class BA legislation before you proceed.
The 100m buffer zone campsite Wales rule
The 100m buffer zone campsite Wales rule is a key difference.
Class BA does not permit campsite use within 100 metres of a protected dwelling.
The private way exception is limited.
A protected dwelling usually means a house or flat occupied by someone other than the campsite owner or operator.
The distance is measured from the edge of the dwelling’s curtilage.
Do not measure only from the house wall.
Curtilage may include:
- A garden
- A yard
- A private access area
- Land closely linked to the dwelling
If any part of your proposed campsite falls within the buffer, Class BA cannot authorise that affected area.
Prior approval cannot remove the restriction.
You may need full planning permission instead.
How to plan around the Welsh buffer
Map every nearby dwelling.
Mark each curtilage.
Draw a 100-metre zone around each one.
Place the pitches outside those zones.
Keep toilets, waste areas and temporary facilities outside the restricted area too.
Use a scaled plan.
Ask the local planning authority for a site-specific view if the boundary is close.
Do not rely on a rough online measurement.
Wales prior approval: notification is not enough
Wales uses an annual determination process.
Before starting each year, apply to the local planning authority for a determination on whether prior approval is required.
Include:
- A site plan
- Pitch locations
- Toilet and wastewater arrangements
- Waste disposal arrangements
- Highway access
- Operating dates
- Site amenities
The authority has 28 days to issue its determination or identify an incomplete application.
If it says prior approval is needed, apply again under the prior approval process.
You must receive written approval before opening.
The authority can require more information.
It can consider access and highway impacts.
This matters for pubs, hotels and farms where camping may increase vehicle movements.
If the authority believes the use could create a material change in local traffic, prior approval may be required.
Do not treat the annual determination as a simple notification.
Build time into your season plan.
Other exclusions to check
Class BC cannot be used on:
- A scheduled monument
- A Site of Special Scientific Interest
- The site of a listed building
- A safety hazard area
- A military explosives storage area
Class BA has these restrictions and more.
It cannot be used on:
- A scheduled monument
- A Special Area of Conservation
- A Site of Special Scientific Interest
- A Ramsar site
- A Special Protection Area
- The site of a listed building
- A safety hazard area
- A military explosives storage area
- Land in Flood Zone 2 or 3
- Land within the Welsh 100m buffer
Check the land before you buy equipment.
Planning rights do not remove other duties
Permitted development rights deal with planning permission.
They do not remove every legal duty.
Check:
- Campsite licensing
- Public liability insurance
- Fire safety
- Drinking water
- Toilet cleaning
- Waste collection
- Emergency access
- Electrical safety
- Guest records
- Noise controls
A permitted development route does not guarantee a campsite licence.
Speak to your local authority about the licensing position.
Keep one compliance file.
Add your plans, applications, notifications, dates, approvals and inspection records.
Your England or Wales decision checklist
If your land is in England
- Confirm the site boundary.
- Check protected designations.
- Check flood zone status.
- Plan up to 50 pitches.
- Choose tents, campervans or motorhomes.
- Provide toilets and waste facilities.
- Set your operating dates.
- Notify the council.
- Apply for prior approval if the land is in Flood Zone 2 or 3.
- Open only after the required step is complete.
If your land is in Wales
- Confirm the site boundary.
- Check whether the land is in a protected landscape.
- Choose the 28-day or 60-day limit.
- Check Flood Zones 2 and 3.
- Map nearby protected dwellings.
- Draw the 100m buffer from each curtilage.
- Keep all campsite use outside restricted areas.
- Prepare toilets, wastewater, waste and access details.
- Submit the annual determination request.
- Obtain prior approval where required before opening.
Plan your farm diversification camping route
Camping can support farm diversification.
It can also support:
- Pub stopovers
- Hotel stays
- Guided walks
- Wildlife experiences
- Hiking weekends
- Corporate groups
- Outdoor skills sessions
- Local tourism
Start with the land.
Map the site.
Check the rules.
Then plan your offer.
Read the Open Sky Adventure land potential guide, review the legal information, and contact our team.
Join the Open Sky Adventure licence agreement group and sign up on the website.
We will happily help you, signup live now if you have an interest in joining our license agreement.