Meta description: Model the cost, revenue and break-even point for a 50-pitch, 60-day pop-up campsite under Class BC in England and Class BA in Wales in 2026.
Hello, farmer, pub owner, hotel operator or rural landowner.
Your land may support camping.
The numbers matter first.
This guide shows what a 50-pitch, 60-day pop-up campsite could cost in 2026, what it could earn, and how many pitch nights you need to sell.
Use the model as a working estimate. Get local quotes before you commit.
Start with the camping legislation
Class BC camping England
In England, Class BC permits:
- Camping for up to 60 days in a calendar year
- Up to 50 pitches
- Tents, motorhomes and campervans designed for human habitation
- Moveable structures needed for the campsite
- On-site toilet and waste facilities
You must notify the local planning authority before the site opens each year.
Your site plan must show the campsite, toilets, waste facilities and operating dates.
Class BC does not permit ordinary touring or static caravans. It also excludes certain land, including scheduled monuments, Sites of Special Scientific Interest and the site of a listed building.
Read the official Class BC legislation before you prepare your site.
Prior approval campsite rules in England
Flood Zone 2 or Flood Zone 3 changes the process.
You need prior approval before opening.
Submit:
- A site plan
- A site-specific flood risk assessment
- Warning and evacuation arrangements
- The required fee
- Details of safe access and exit
The council must decide within the statutory process. Do not open while the application is pending.
Check the GOV.UK flood risk service first.
The old 28-day rule is not the normal route for camping in England. Use Class BC where the land qualifies.
Class BA camping Wales
Wales has its own rules.
Class BA allows temporary recreational camping for up to 60 days in a calendar year outside protected landscapes.
The limit remains 28 days in:
- National Parks
- National Landscapes
- World Heritage Sites
Class BA does not cover touring or static caravans.
It also has a key restriction.
You cannot use Class BA within 100 metres of a dwelling occupied by someone other than the campsite owner or operator. Measure from the dwelling’s curtilage, not only from the building.
Map every nearby home.
Draw the 100-metre buffer.
Keep pitches, toilets, waste areas and temporary facilities outside it.
Wales also uses an annual determination and prior approval process. Build time and cost into your launch plan.
Check the Welsh Government guidance and the official Class BA legislation.
What does a 50-pitch pop-up campsite cost?
Your budget depends on the land.
It also depends on whether you hire temporary facilities or build permanent ones.
A light-touch setup may work for a 60-day test. Permanent buildings need separate planning checks and a larger budget.
First-season setup costs
| Cost area | Planning allowance |
|---|---|
| Site survey, layout and compliance advice | £1,500–£4,000 |
| Access, parking, drainage and groundworks | £6,000–£20,000 |
| Temporary toilets and shower facilities | £8,000–£22,000 |
| Water supply and wastewater arrangements | £3,000–£10,000 |
| Temporary power and pitch connections | £4,000–£15,000 |
| Fire points, signage, lighting and safety equipment | £1,000–£4,000 |
| Insurance, licensing checks and professional fees | £1,500–£5,000 |
| Website, booking system and launch marketing | £2,000–£6,000 |
| Opening staff and training | £1,500–£5,000 |
| Indicative total | £28,500–£91,000 |
These figures are planning allowances.
Get three quotes for toilets, showers, waste, power and groundworks.
A basic temporary site may launch for around £25,000 to £40,000 if the land already has good access, water and power.
A site needing new access, drainage and higher-capacity facilities can exceed £70,000.
A permanent toilet and shower block adds a separate capital project. Do not assume Class BC or Class BA permits permanent construction.
Prior approval and the 100-metre buffer
Budget separately for planning checks.
For an England flood-zone site, allow around £2,000 to £5,000 for:
- Flood risk information
- Site drawings
- Planning advice
- Application preparation
- Application fees
- Revisions
For a Welsh site, allow around £1,500 to £4,000 for:
- A scaled site plan
- Dwelling and curtilage mapping
- The 100-metre buffer
- Access and parking information
- Waste and drainage details
- Prior approval support
These are not fixed legal fees.
Ask your local authority what it requires.
A poor site layout can cost more than the application. You may need to move pitches, relocate facilities or reduce capacity.
Ongoing costs for 60 days
A temporary campsite still needs daily management.
Use this lean owner-led model:
| Ongoing cost | Example season budget |
|---|---|
| Toilet and shower servicing | £5,500 |
| Water, electricity and wastewater | £4,000 |
| Seasonal staffing and cleaning | £8,500 |
| Insurance, licences and compliance | £2,500 |
| Marketing, booking and payment fees | £2,500 |
| Maintenance, security and administration | £1,500 |
| Fixed seasonal costs | £24,500 |
Add a variable cost of about £4.50 for every occupied pitch night.
This covers cleaning, consumables, payment charges and extra waste.
Your landowner time is not fully priced into this model.
Charge for your time if you want a true business return.
Revenue per pitch per night
A 2026 planning range is:
- £22–£25 for a basic grass pitch
- £26–£30 for a pitch with toilets, showers and good access
- £30–£35 for peak dates, electric or a stronger location
Use £28 per pitch per night as the base case.
A 50-pitch site open for 60 days has:
50 pitches × 60 days = 3,000 available pitch nights
The site does not need to sell every pitch every night.
Realistic occupancy
Use three scenarios:
- Conservative: 35%
- Base case: 50%
- Strong season: 65%
| Scenario | Occupancy | Pitch nights sold | Revenue at £28 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | 35% | 1,050 | £29,400 |
| Base case | 50% | 1,500 | £42,000 |
| Strong season | 65% | 1,950 | £54,600 |
The 60-day rule limits your available inventory.
You cannot fix weak occupancy by opening more days under the same Class BC or Class BA route.
Raise revenue by improving the rate, selling extras or using the site well.
Consider:
- Breakfast or pub meal packages
- Guided walks
- Wildlife sessions
- Firewood
- Equipment hire
- Farm shop sales
- Group bookings
- Corporate outdoor sessions
Keep each extra activity within its own legal and insurance requirements.
Break-even pitch nights
The model uses:
- Average price: £28
- Variable cost: £4.50 per occupied pitch night
- Contribution per pitch night: £23.50
- Fixed seasonal costs: £24,500
Operating break-even
£24,500 ÷ £23.50 = 1,043 pitch nights
That equals:
34.8% occupancy across 3,000 available pitch nights
This covers operating costs.
It does not repay your setup investment.
Two-season investment recovery
Assume a £25,000 launch cost.
Recover it over two seasons:
- Annual setup recovery target: £12,500
- Total first and second season target: £37,000
- Break-even: about 1,575 pitch nights
- Required occupancy: about 52.5%
| Scenario | Revenue | Operating costs | Operating result | After £12,500 setup recovery |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | £29,400 | £29,225 | £175 | –£12,325 |
| Base case | £42,000 | £31,250 | £10,750 | –£1,750 |
| Strong season | £54,600 | £33,275 | £21,325 | £8,825 |
This is before tax, finance costs and a full owner wage.
The result is clear.
A 60-day campsite can cover its operating costs at moderate occupancy. It may need strong occupancy, higher pricing or extra sales to repay setup costs quickly.
Phase the investment over two seasons
Season one: test the land
Start with:
- 15 to 25 pitches
- Temporary toilets and showers
- Existing farm or pub access
- Simple booking software
- Basic signage
- Owner-led management
- A focused 60-day calendar
Track:
- Bookings
- Occupancy
- Average price
- Cleaning time
- Water use
- Waste volumes
- Customer feedback
- Neighbour concerns
- Revenue from extras
Do not build a permanent block before you have demand data.
Season two: invest where demand shows
Scale to 50 pitches if the numbers support it.
Then consider:
- Better shower capacity
- More electric connections
- Improved access
- A reception point
- Group packages
- Pub or hotel partnerships
- Guided outdoor activities
- A planning application for permanent facilities
Review the Open Sky Adventure costs page and the land potential guide before choosing your route.
Your next step
Map the land.
Check the rules.
Price the setup.
Model 35%, 50% and 65% occupancy.
Then ask whether the result pays for your time and investment.
Review the Open Sky Adventure legal information, join the community and contact the team.
Join the group and sign up on the website.
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