Meta description: Learn how farmers, pubs, hotels and rural landowners can screen sites, map the Wales 100m buffer, follow England and Wales campsite rules, prepare prior approval documents and manage licensed camping in 2026.
Hello, farmer, pub owner, hotel operator or rural landowner.
Your land may support camping.
Start with the correct planning route.
Check the site first.
Map the limits.
Prepare the records.
Do not open before you confirm the rules.
This guide covers the 28-day rule, Class BC camping in England, Class BA camping in Wales, the Wales 100m protected-dwelling buffer, annual notification, prior approval and campsite licensing.
This is general information. It is not legal advice. Check the current legislation, your local planning authority, your licensing team and your insurer before taking bookings.
Start with the England and Wales decision paths
England and Wales now use different permitted development rights for temporary campsites.
| Location | Main route | Annual limit | Key control |
|---|---|---|---|
| England | Class BC | Up to 60 days | Annual notification, prior approval in Flood Zones 2 and 3 |
| Wales | Class BA | Up to 60 days in many areas | Annual determination and possible prior approval |
| Wales protected landscapes | Class BA | Up to 28 days | Check the local designation and approval process |
Read the England Class BC legislation.
Read the Welsh Class BA legislation.
Do not treat the old 28-day rule as one UK-wide campsite rule.
In England, the traditional 28-day rule relates to general temporary use of land. Class BC is the specific permitted development route for temporary recreational campsites.
In Wales, Class BA now provides the dedicated campsite route. The limit can be 60 days, or 28 days in a National Park, National Landscape or World Heritage Site.
Step 1: Screen the land before you design the site
Walk the whole holding.
Record the following:
- Ownership and control
- Existing planning permissions
- Planning conditions
- Article 4 Directions
- Nearby dwellings
- Public highways
- Access tracks
- Flood zones
- Protected habitats
- Heritage assets
- Existing farm operations
- Water and power
- Waste collection access
Check the Environment Agency flood map for planning for English land.
Check the relevant Welsh planning maps for Welsh land.
England site screening
Class BC does not apply to every field.
The legislation excludes certain locations, including:
- Scheduled monuments
- Sites of Special Scientific Interest
- Listed building sites
- Safety hazard areas
- Military explosives storage areas
It also restricts the type of unit. Check whether each unit is a tent, motorhome or permitted campervan. Do not assume that every caravan qualifies.
Check local restrictions too.
An Article 4 Direction can remove or limit permitted development rights. A planning condition can also restrict them.
Wales site screening
Check for:
- National Park status
- National Landscape status
- World Heritage Site status
- Flood Zones 2 and 3
- SSSIs
- Special Areas of Conservation
- Special Protection Areas
- Ramsar sites
- Scheduled monuments
- Listed buildings
- Safety hazard areas
- Military explosives storage areas
- Article 4 Directions
- Planning conditions
Then check the 100m rule.
Do this before you spend money on toilets, signs or advertising.
Step 2: Map the Wales 100m protected-dwelling buffer
Wales has a specific restriction.
Class BA permitted development cannot be used on land within 100 metres of a protected dwelling, except for the use of a private way.
A protected dwelling normally means a dwellinghouse occupied by someone who is not the owner or operator of the proposed campsite.
Treat a neighbour’s home as protected unless you have confirmed the position.
Map every nearby dwelling.
Then draw a 100m buffer from each one.
Show the buffer on your site plan.
Keep all campsite use outside it, including:
- Tent pitches
- Campervan pitches
- Parking
- Toilets
- Showers
- Waste storage
- Wastewater facilities
- Reception areas
- Guest seating
- Other campsite facilities
A private access track may pass through the buffer where the rules allow it.
Do not use that track for pitching, parking or facilities.
The legislation does not provide a simple measurement diagram. Ask the local planning authority how it expects the distance to be shown. Keep a clear map and a written record of your method.
Step 3: Follow the England Class BC route
Class BC can allow a temporary recreational campsite for up to 60 days in a calendar year.
It allows up to 50 pitches.
It also allows moveable structures reasonably needed for the campsite.
Provide on-site toilet and waste disposal facilities.
Notify the local planning authority in writing before the campsite starts in each calendar year.
Include:
- A site plan
- Toilet locations
- Waste facility locations
- Operating dates
- Pitch numbers
- Access arrangements
There is no general national 100m buffer in England’s Class BC rules.
That does not remove the need to manage neighbour impact.
Control noise, lighting, traffic, privacy, litter and late arrivals.
If the proposed campsite is in Flood Zone 2 or Flood Zone 3, prior approval is required before development starts for that year.
Prepare:
- A site-specific flood risk assessment
- Warning arrangements
- Evacuation arrangements
- Safe access and escape details
- The required fee
- A clear site plan
Use the Planning Portal prior approval form for temporary recreational campsites in Flood Zones 2 and 3.
Allow time for consultation.
The legislation provides a 56-day decision period. Do not open when you submit the application. Wait for written approval, or for the statutory period to expire without a decision, if that is how the rules apply to your case.
Confirm the process with your local planning authority before relying on it.
Step 4: Follow the Wales Class BA route
For Wales, begin with the annual determination process.
Submit the current information to the local planning authority before you start the campsite use.
Include:
- The site boundary
- The proposed pitches
- The 100m buffer map
- Exact operating dates
- Access and parking
- Toilets and wastewater
- Waste arrangements
- Nearby dwellings
- Relevant designations
Use the Welsh Government guidance on planning permission and permitted development rights for temporary campsites.
You may also need the Welsh Government form for determining whether prior approval is required.
The council may decide that prior approval is not required.
If it requires prior approval, provide the requested details and wait for the written decision.
Do not rely on silence without checking the current procedure.
Keep the site within 28 days where the land falls within a National Park, National Landscape or World Heritage Site.
Use the 60-day limit only where the land qualifies and all conditions are met.
Step 5: Prepare a site plan the council can understand
Use a recognised scale.
Add a north arrow.
Show the full operating area.
Mark:
- Every pitch
- Pitch numbers
- Toilets
- Showers
- Wastewater systems
- Bin stores
- Water points
- Fire points
- Parking
- Turning areas
- Emergency access
- Farm access
- Public rights of way
- Nearby dwellings
- Flood zones
- Habitat constraints
- The 100m buffer in Wales
- Operating dates
Do not submit a plan that only shows a field outline.
The council must understand how guests will arrive, stay, use facilities and leave.
Step 6: Control toilets, waste, fire and guest safety
Provide toilets on site.
Plan wastewater removal.
Store waste in sealed containers.
Set collection dates.
Keep waste vehicles away from guest areas where possible.
Prepare a fire plan.
Show emergency access.
Keep gates unlocked during operating hours where appropriate.
Display emergency contacts.
Set quiet hours.
Keep guests away from livestock, machinery and water hazards.
Mark walking routes.
Check lighting.
Avoid glare into nearby homes.
Train anyone who welcomes guests.
Keep an incident log.
Check whether you need a caravan site licence or another local licence. Permitted development rights do not remove licensing, environmental health, fire safety, insurance or waste duties.
Ask your council licensing team for the current position.
Step 7: Keep records for every operating day
Use one annual campsite calendar.
Record:
- Opening and closing dates
- Fields used
- Pitch numbers
- Guest numbers
- Toilet checks
- Waste collections
- Flood warnings
- Fire checks
- Incidents
- Complaints
- Repairs
- Closures
Count the whole site.
Moving guests to another field does not create extra permitted days.
Keep copies of:
- Notifications
- Prior approval decisions
- Site plans
- Risk assessments
- Licence documents
- Insurance certificates
- Contractor records
Good records support compliance and future planning.
Step 8: Build revenue without damaging the guest experience
Start with one field.
Use fewer pitches than the maximum.
Offer simple stays.
Add guided walks, wildlife activities or farm experiences only when they fit the planning and licensing position.
For a pub, link pitches to food bookings.
For a hotel, use camping as an additional outdoor stay.
For a farm, protect working areas and create a clear guest route.
Use local suppliers.
Set arrival times.
Keep check-in simple.
Explain parking, fires, waste and quiet hours before arrival.
A managed site creates fewer complaints.
It also gives guests a safer visit.
Check the route before you open
Use this order:
- Identify the country.
- Check the permitted development class.
- Check the 28-day or 60-day limit.
- Screen designations and restrictions.
- Map dwellings.
- Apply the Wales 100m buffer where relevant.
- Check flood risk.
- Draw the site plan.
- Submit notification or prior approval documents.
- Confirm licensing and insurance.
- Keep dated records.
- Open only when the route is confirmed.
Read Open Sky Adventure’s guide to prior approval for campsites in 2026.
Then join the Open Sky Adventure community for support with land, camping and outdoor tourism.
Join the Open Sky Adventure group
Check your land.
Map the limits.
Choose the correct route.
Prepare the site.
Keep your records.
Contact Open Sky Adventure to discuss your site and licensed camping options.
We will happily help you, signup live now if you have an interest in joining our license agreement.
