Class BA Wales 2026: Prior Approval and the 100m Buffer for Pubs, Hotels and Farmers

Hello, farmer, pub owner, hotel operator or rural landowner.

Your Welsh land may support a temporary campsite.

Check the rules first.

From 1 September 2026, Class BA permitted development rights apply across Wales. They change the old 28-day camping position.

You may now operate for:

Up to 60 days per calendar year on general land in Wales.
Up to 28 days per calendar year in National Parks, National Landscapes and World Heritage Sites.

You must follow the conditions.

You must also use the new prior notification process.

What Class BA camping Wales allows

Class BA comes from the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (Amendment) (Wales) Order 2026.

It allows you to:

Use land as a recreational campsite.
Operate within the annual day limit.
Provide moveable structures needed for the campsite.
Offer tent pitches.
Offer motorhome and campervan pitches.

The right is not automatic.

You must notify your local planning authority before starting each year. The authority will decide whether prior approval is needed for specific matters.

Do not advertise dates, accept bookings or install facilities before you check the route.

The 60-day and 28-day limits

The limit depends on the location.

General land in Wales

You can use the land as a recreational campsite for up to 60 days in total in a calendar year.

The limit applies to the site. It is not 60 days per pitch.

Keep a calendar. Record every operating day.

National Parks, National Landscapes and World Heritage Sites

The limit is 28 days in total in a calendar year.

This applies even if the site could otherwise qualify for 60 days.

Check the designation before planning your season. Use the relevant planning authority boundary and local planning records.

Local restrictions may also apply. Check for an Article 4 Direction before relying on Class BA.

The 100m buffer zone campsite Wales rule

The 100m rule is the key site test.

Class BA does not permit campsite development on land within 100 metres of a protected dwelling.

A protected dwelling means:

A dwellinghouse occupied by someone other than the campsite owner or operator.
A flat occupied by someone other than the campsite owner or operator.

This normally includes a neighbour’s home.

Measure the distance from the dwelling’s curtilage. This usually means the garden, yard or land around the home.

Map the buffer before you design the campsite.

Keep pitches at least 100 metres from neighbours’ homes. Keep campsite facilities outside the buffer too.

This includes:

Tents.
Motorhomes.
Campervans.
Toilets.
Showers.
Waste facilities.
Guest parking.
Reception areas.
Other campsite amenities.

The only narrow exception relates to the use of a private way.

Screening does not remove the legal buffer. Trees, hedges and fencing may reduce views and noise. They do not make camping inside the 100m zone lawful under Class BA.

Prior approval cannot remove the buffer.

If you need to use land inside the buffer, check whether a full planning application is required.

Other Class BA exclusions

Class BA does not apply to every site.

The right does not cover land:

On a scheduled monument.
In a Special Area of Conservation.
In a Special Protection Area.
On a Site of Special Scientific Interest.
On a Ramsar site.
On the site of a listed building.
In Flood Zone 2.
In Flood Zone 3.
In a safety hazard area.
In a military explosives storage area.
Within 100 metres of a protected dwelling, except for a private way.
Used for siting a caravan, unless it is a motor vehicle designed or adapted for human habitation.

Check all designations before you spend money.

Use the Welsh Government guidance for temporary campsites.

Ask your local planning authority for site-specific guidance where the position is unclear.

Touring caravans are not allowed

Class BA does not allow touring caravans.

It also does not allow static caravans or mobile homes under this right.

It can allow:

Motorhomes.
Campervans.
Converted vans designed or adapted for human habitation.

Check the vehicle type before taking bookings.

Planning rules and caravan site licensing are separate matters. You may need a site licence or another exemption.

Check the position with your local authority.

The annual prior notification process

You must apply to your local planning authority before starting development in each calendar year.

Submit the application before the season starts.

Your application must include a site plan and key operating details.

Show:

The camping field outlined clearly.
Pitch locations.
Amenity locations.
Toilet facilities.
Wastewater facilities.
Waste disposal facilities.
Access from the highway.
Vehicle access and exit routes.
Operating dates.

The plan must match your operation.

Do not move pitches later without checking the effect on compliance.

Do not add facilities that were not included in the submitted details without reviewing the planning position.

The Welsh Government determination form provides the current route.

Check how your local planning authority wants the form submitted.

The council’s 28-day determination window

The local planning authority has 28 days after receiving a valid application for determination.

It must either:

Confirm that prior approval is not required.
Notify you that prior approval is required.
Notify you that the submission is incomplete or does not comply with the application requirements.

Do not start before the legal trigger is met.

If 28 days pass without the required notice, development may proceed, provided your application was valid and you follow the submitted plan.

Keep:

A copy of the application.
The site plan.
Proof of submission.
The operating calendar.
All council correspondence.
Copies of any approval or conditions.

What happens if prior approval is required?

The council may require a further prior approval application.

This can cover:

Toilets and wastewater.
Waste disposal.
Vehicular access.
Transport and highway effects.

The council may request further information. This can include assessments of impacts or risks.

The council may consult:

The highway authority.
A trunk road authority.
A railway operator.
Welsh Ministers.
Other relevant consultees.

Wait for written approval before starting where prior approval is required.

Operate in line with the approved details.

The council may impose conditions linked to the matters under consideration.

Practical strategies for pubs and hotels near homes

Pubs and hotels can use Class BA for rural diversification.

Nearby homes create the main design challenge.

Use this approach.

Choose land beyond 100 metres

Do not start with the most convenient field.

Start with the site map.

Identify every protected dwelling. Draw each 100m buffer. Remove restricted land from the campsite layout.

Select the field beyond the buffer.

A longer walk from the pub or hotel may be better than an unlawful layout.

Put access away from homes

Choose an entrance that limits traffic near neighbouring properties.

Avoid arrival routes beside gardens and windows.

Show the access point on your site plan.

Explain arrival times. Set speed limits. Use clear signs.

Use screening for amenity

Screening can help manage:

Noise.
Headlights.
Views.
Late arrivals.
Guest movement.

Use existing hedges where possible. Maintain them.

Remember, screening supports good management. It does not replace the 100m rule.

Keep facilities easy to manage

Place toilets, wastewater points and waste facilities where staff can inspect them.

Keep waste away from watercourses and food areas.

Create a collection schedule.

Record inspections.

Use quiet hours and a guest contact number.

These steps help protect neighbours and your business.

Make the diversification plan work

Class BA gives you a seasonal route. Build the business around the limits.

Choose a simple offer first.

You could provide:

Tent pitches.
Motorhome pitches.
Campervan pitches.
Walking weekends.
Wildlife stays.
Guided outdoor activities.
Pub and pitch packages.
Hotel and camping packages.
Small group bookings.
Corporate team activities.

Link the campsite to your existing business.

Offer breakfast at the pub. Provide route information. Sell packed lunches. Add guided walks. Use local suppliers.

Do not build permanent structures under the assumption that Class BA covers them.

Moveable structures may be allowed where reasonably necessary for the campsite. Permanent buildings need separate planning checks.

Keep your costs controlled.

Start with:

A clear pitch layout.
Basic facilities.
Managed arrival times.
Waste collection.
Insurance.
Emergency access.
A booking calendar.
A compliance file.

Track income and operating costs across the permitted days.

Use the 60-day limit as a planning tool. Do not treat it as a target you must fill.

Your Class BA compliance checklist

Complete these checks before taking bookings.

Confirm that the land is in Wales.
Check whether the site is in a National Park, National Landscape or World Heritage Site.
Set the correct 60-day or 28-day limit.
Map all protected dwellings.
Draw the 100m buffers from their curtilage.
Keep pitches and facilities outside the buffers.
Check SSSI, SAC, SPA and Ramsar status.
Check scheduled monuments and listed buildings.
Check Flood Zones 2 and 3.
Check safety hazard and military explosives areas.
Exclude touring caravans.
Confirm that motorhomes and campervans meet the definition.
Prepare the site plan.
Show toilets, wastewater, waste, pitches, amenities and access.
List the operating dates.
Submit the annual determination application.
Wait for the council’s response or the 28-day period.
Complete prior approval if required.
Check site licensing and insurance.
Keep records throughout the season.

Get help with your Welsh camping site

Class BA camping Wales creates a route for farmers, pubs, hotels and rural landowners.

The opportunity is clear.

The conditions are strict.

Map the 100m buffer. Check the exclusions. Submit the right information. Operate within the annual limit.

Read our legal information, review our land diversification service, or contact Open Sky Adventure.

Join the Open Sky Adventure group and sign up on our website.

We will happily help you, signup live now if you have an interest in joining our license agreement.

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This article gives general information about camping legislation UK 2026. It is not legal or planning advice. Confirm your proposal with the relevant local planning authority before operating.