Meta description: Demand has passed your 60-day campsite limit? Compare Class BC camping England, Class BA camping Wales, planning permission and Paragraph 5 certification.
Hello, farmer, pub owner, hotel operator or rural landowner.
Your campsite is full.
Bookings keep coming.
Your permitted days do not.
Act before you accept more guests.
The camping legislation UK 2026 rules are clear. You cannot keep adding days, pitches or facilities and hope the site remains compliant.
Use the correct route.
Quick answer: what happens after 60 days?
| Route | When it fits | What you need | What it allows |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class BC, England | Temporary campsite on eligible land | Annual written notice, toilets, waste facilities, prior approval in Flood Zones 2 and 3 | Up to 60 calendar days, up to 50 pitches, tents and motorhomes |
| Class BA, Wales | Temporary campsite on eligible Welsh land | Annual notification, site plan, facilities details, access details, possible prior approval | Up to 60 days in most areas, 28 days in National Parks, National Landscapes and World Heritage Sites |
| Full planning permission | Demand exceeds the temporary right | Planning application, then caravan site licence where required | Longer-term operation, subject to approved conditions |
| Paragraph 5 certificate | Small members-only caravan site | Certificate from an exempted organisation | Up to 5 caravans, subject to the certificate and planning controls |
Important Wales update: the final 2026 Class BA wording does not include a 30-pitch cap. Some early summaries mention 30 pitches. Check the current Welsh Order and local authority position before relying on that number.
Class BC camping England: the 60-day limit
Class BC is the main permitted development rights campsite UK route in England.
It allows:
- Use as a recreational campsite for up to 60 days in a calendar year.
- Up to 50 pitches.
- Tents and motorhomes.
- Moveable structures needed for the use.
- On-site toilet and waste facilities.
You must notify the local planning authority in writing before starting each year.
Send:
- A site plan.
- Pitch locations.
- Toilet details.
- Waste arrangements.
- Operating dates.
Land in Flood Zone 2 or 3 needs prior approval before use starts. Submit the required flood risk information. Do not open while waiting for a decision.
Read the Class BC legislation.
Class BA camping Wales: check the tighter controls
Class BA is the Welsh route for temporary recreational campsites.
In most Welsh locations, it allows up to 60 days in a calendar year.
In a National Park, National Landscape or World Heritage Site, the limit is 28 days.
You must submit the required notification or determination application before starting. Include:
- A site plan.
- Proposed operating dates.
- Toilet and wastewater arrangements.
- Waste disposal arrangements.
- Vehicular access details.
The local planning authority has 28 days to decide whether prior approval is needed.
Do not start until the authority confirms that prior approval is not required, or you receive prior approval.
The 100m buffer zone campsite rule
Class BA does not permit campsite use within 100 metres of a protected dwelling.
A protected dwelling is normally a home occupied by someone other than the campsite owner or operator.
Measure the site before you invest.
Keep every pitch and relevant campsite area outside the buffer.
Read the Welsh Government temporary campsite guidance and the Welsh prior approval guidance.
What triggers a compliance problem?
Demand is not the problem.
Poor records are.
These mistakes create risk.
Counting nights instead of days
The rule concerns days of campsite use.
It does not mean you can sell 60 nights and ignore the dates.
A booking from 30 June to 2 July uses dates in two months. Record each date carefully.
Use a daily calendar.
Add the date when the site is open or occupied.
Do not rely only on booking software.
Running past the annual limit
The allowance resets by calendar year.
It does not reset after 60 bookings.
It does not reset when a guest leaves.
It does not reset when you move guests to another field on the same planning unit.
Stop before the limit.
Adding Class B days on top
Do not assume the old 28-day rule gives you extra campsite days.
In England, general camping under Class B is no longer the normal route. Class B is now limited in scope, including festival-related use.
Do not add Class B days to Class BC days without specific planning advice.
In Wales, Class BA has replaced the old temporary camping approach in the relevant circumstances.
Treat the annual allowance as one compliance issue.
Exceeding pitch limits or conditions
In England, Class BC allows up to 50 pitches.
In Wales, check the current Class BA wording, local guidance, site licence rules and any planning conditions. Do not use an old 30-pitch summary as your only source.
Starting before notice or prior approval
A notice is not a formality.
Prior approval is not permission to apply later.
Submit first.
Wait where required.
Then open.
Treating planning permission and a site licence as the same thing
They are separate.
Planning permission controls land use.
A caravan site licence controls the operation of the site under the Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act 1960.
You may need both.
One does not replace the other.
The two routes beyond the temporary limits
When the 60-day limit no longer works, choose between two routes.
Route one: full planning permission and a caravan site licence
Choose this route when you need:
- A longer operating season.
- More predictable income.
- More pitches.
- Permanent or semi-permanent facilities.
- Open bookings beyond the temporary allowance.
- A public campsite for non-members.
Apply for planning permission first.
Cover access, drainage, toilets, wastewater, waste, landscape, lighting, traffic and neighbour impact.
Then apply for the caravan site licence if required.
This route takes more time.
It gives you a formal operating base.
Route two: Paragraph 5 certification
Paragraph 5 can exempt a small caravan site from the normal site licence requirement.
The key limit is up to five caravans at one time.
The site must have a valid certificate from an exempted organisation.
Use must follow the certificate conditions.
The site is normally for members and recreational use.
Paragraph 5 is not a way to create a large public tent campsite. It applies to caravans, including relevant motorhomes and campervans, within the certificate terms.
Open Sky Adventure holds Welsh Government Exempted Organisation status valid throughout Wales. We can explain whether your land fits the certificate route.
| Question | Full planning and licence | Paragraph 5 certificate |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Longer-term or larger operation | Small members-only caravan site |
| Maximum units | Set by approval and licence | Up to 5 caravans |
| Public bookings | Usually possible | Follow membership conditions |
| Planning controls | Still apply | Still apply |
| Site licence | Usually required | Exempt within the certificate terms |
| Best first step | Pre-application planning advice | Site assessment and certificate review |
Build your farm diversification camping plan
Do not buy equipment first.
Model the season first.
1. Count the demand
List:
- Expected bookings.
- Average stay.
- Peak dates.
- Weekend demand.
- Local events.
- Weather risk.
- Cancellation levels.
Then compare demand with your legal days and pitch capacity.
2. Price per pitch per night
Use a simple calculation:
Pitch price × pitches × occupied nights = gross income
Then remove:
- Toilets.
- Waste collection.
- Insurance.
- Booking fees.
- Staff time.
- Cleaning.
- Repairs.
- Access work.
- Planning or licensing costs.
Do not model full occupancy.
Use low, medium and high cases.
3. Create a compliance folder
Keep:
- Annual notification.
- Prior approval documents.
- Site plan.
- Flood risk information.
- Day-count calendar.
- Daily site log.
- Pitch register.
- Waste records.
- Toilet servicing records.
- Complaints and incident log.
- Planning and licence documents.
Update it every operating day.
4. Notify the authority in writing
Send the correct documents to the correct authority.
Keep proof of submission.
Record the date.
Ask questions before opening.
Do not rely on a phone conversation.
5. Check local restrictions
National rules are not the whole answer.
Check:
- Article 4 Directions.
- National Park policies.
- Local development plans.
- Flood risk.
- Protected habitats.
- Highway access.
- Wastewater capacity.
In the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, a camping-specific Article 4 Direction took effect in January 2026. It removes the automatic 28-day camping right in the affected area. Planning permission may be needed.
In Eryri, the SPG position is also clear. The authority will not support new touring or camping sites under its current policy guidance. That is a policy position, not a national legal ban. It still matters when you plan.
Read the Pembrokeshire Coast Article 4 information and the Eryri visitor accommodation guidance.
Make the decision before bookings pass the limit
Use Class BC if your English site fits the 60-day and 50-pitch rules.
Use Class BA if your Welsh site fits the 60-day rules, or the 28-day designated-area limit.
Use full planning permission if you need a longer season or larger operation.
Use Paragraph 5 if you want a small, members-only caravan site with up to five caravans.
Review the position every year.
Policies can change.
Local authorities can issue Article 4 Directions.
Your records must match your operation.
Read The Legals, explore Unlock Your Land and Potential, or get in touch with Open Sky Adventure.
We will happily help you, signup live now if you have an interest in joining our license agreement.
This guide gives general information for landowners and businesses. Check the current legislation and speak with your local planning authority before operating.