Hello, farmer, landowner, pub owner or hotel operator. Thinking about camping on your land? Start with Class BA.
Class BA camping Wales is a permitted development right for temporary recreational campsites. It was created by the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (Amendment) (Wales) Order 2026. The Order was made on 10 March 2026. The main Class BA provisions came into force on 1 June 2026.
The rules set annual day limits, exclude certain land and require an application to your local planning authority (LPA) before you start. Check each point before you invest or take bookings.
How many days can you camp?
Class BA allows campsite use for up to 60 days in total in a calendar year on eligible land outside the areas below.
If your land is within a National Park, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (also called a National Landscape) or a World Heritage Site, the limit is 28 days in total in a calendar year.
The limit covers the campsite use, not just the days when you have guests. Choose your dates carefully, count the days and keep a record. In designated areas, plan peak weeks within the 28-day limit.
Moveable structures reasonably necessary for the permitted campsite use may also be provided. The permission is for temporary use. It does not make every structure or campsite layout lawful.
Check the 100m buffer first
Class BA does not permit campsite use on land within 100 metres of a protected dwelling, except for use as a private way.
A protected dwelling is a dwellinghouse or flat occupied by someone other than the campsite owner or operator. Your own farmhouse does not count if you occupy it as the owner or operator. A neighbour’s home can count.
Before spending money on facilities, identify nearby dwellings and map the proposed campsite area against the 100m buffer. Include the site boundary and planned pitches in your review. Do not assume that prior approval can override this exclusion.
Land where Class BA does not apply
Class BA does not permit development on:
- A scheduled monument site.
- A Special Area of Conservation or Special Protection Area.
- A Site of Special Scientific Interest or Ramsar site.
- A safety hazard area or military explosives storage area.
- A listed-building site.
- Land in Flood Zone 2 or Flood Zone 3.
- Land within 100 metres of a protected dwelling, except for a private way.
Check the site’s status before you prepare an application. Ask your LPA if you are unsure whether a designation or restriction applies.
What accommodation can you offer?
Class BA does not allow the siting of any caravan except a caravan that is a motor vehicle designed or adapted for human habitation. This covers qualifying motorhomes and campervans.
It does not permit touring caravans, static caravans or mobile homes under this right. Do not include them in your site plan as if Class BA covers them.
Apply before you open
Before starting development in each calendar year, you must apply to your LPA for a determination on whether prior approval is required.
The determination application covers three matters:
- Toilet and wastewater facilities.
- Waste disposal facilities.
- The proposed means of vehicular access.
The application must include a site plan with details of those facilities, the pitches and amenities, access from the highway and the dates the site will be in use. Include any fee that applies.
The LPA has 28 days to respond. It can notify you that the application does not comply, or tell you whether prior approval is required. If the LPA considers that the campsite is likely to cause a material increase or a material change in the character of traffic nearby, it must require prior approval.
When can you start?
Do not open until one of these applies:
- The LPA gives written notice that prior approval is not required.
- 28 days have passed since the LPA received your application, without notice that the application is incomplete or a determination from the LPA.
- If prior approval is required, you have applied for it and received written approval.
If the LPA requires prior approval, it may ask for information such as impact or risk assessments. It must consult the relevant highway authority where traffic impacts arise. Consultees must generally have at least 21 days to respond. The LPA may grant approval with or without conditions.
Follow the approved details if prior approval is granted. If it is not required, follow the site plan and particulars you submitted. Never start camping while you are still waiting for written approval where it has been required.
Make your application clear
A complete application helps the LPA understand how the site will work. Show the site boundary, pitches, amenities, toilets, wastewater arrangements, waste facilities, highway access and operating dates on the plan.
Keep the layout consistent across your plan and supporting details. Explain how visitors will enter and leave the site. Consider vehicle arrival times, parking and whether vehicles could queue or change traffic on the nearby road. A weak or unclear plan can lead to further questions or a prior-approval requirement.
For the current application process, check the Welsh Government determination form and its guidance on permitted development rights for temporary campsites.
The old 28-day rule has changed
Do not rely on the old Class B 28-day right for ordinary camping in Wales. From 1 September 2026, the old right no longer covers camping except in connection with a festival. Class BA is now the route for temporary recreational campsites where its rules are met.
The 28-day limit still applies under Class BA in National Parks, National Landscapes and World Heritage Sites. It is not a general campsite limit for all Welsh land.
Also check for local restrictions, including any Article 4 Direction that may affect permitted development rights. For example, Pembrokeshire Coast National Park explains its local position.
A practical checklist for farm diversification camping
Before you plan your season:
- Check whether your site is in a designated area and confirm the 60-day or 28-day limit.
- Map the 100m buffer around protected dwellings.
- Check every site exclusion, including flood zones and protected sites.
- Confirm that your accommodation type is allowed.
- Plan toilets, wastewater, waste disposal and vehicle access.
- Prepare a site plan that shows pitches, amenities and dates.
- Submit the annual determination application.
- Wait for the correct notice or written approval before you start.
- Keep copies of plans, applications, decisions and operating dates.
Class BA can support temporary campsite use as part of farm diversification. But it does not replace other checks or permissions that may apply to your site. Read the legislation and contact your LPA if you need to confirm how the rules apply to your land.
Plan your next step
Review your site before you invest, map the buffer and prepare your application. Explore Open Sky Adventure’s legal information and contact us to discuss your options.
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