Meta description: Learn how Class BC camping England rules work in 2026, including the 60-day limit, 50-pitch cap, prior approval and farm diversification planning.
Hello, farmer, pub owner, hotel operator or rural landowner.
Your unused field may support a campsite.
Check the rules first.
Class BC is now the main route for a temporary campsite in England. It can help you test demand, support farm diversification camping and add income from unused land.
You must follow the limits.
You must keep clear records.
You must notify your local planning authority before opening each year.
What is Class BC camping in England?
Class BC is a permitted development right under Part 4 of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order.
It allows you to use land as a temporary recreational campsite for:
- Up to 60 days in one calendar year
- No more than 50 pitches
- Moveable structures needed for the campsite
These structures may include:
- Portable toilets
- Waste facilities
- Temporary showers
- A moveable reception hut
- Safety equipment
- Other structures reasonably needed for the campsite
The right can support tents, motorhomes and campervans.
It does not normally cover towed caravans. Check separate caravan site rules before accepting them.
Class BC applies in England. Wales has a separate system, including Class BA. Do not use the English rules for Welsh land.
The temporary campsite 60 days rule
Count campsite days from 1 January to 31 December.
Do not count by season.
Do not count by booking.
Count each day when the land operates as a campsite.
You can use the 60 days in different ways:
- 60 consecutive days
- 30 days in spring and 30 days in summer
- Selected weekends
- School holidays
- Bank holidays
- Several short operating periods
Keep a daily record.
Write down:
- Opening date
- Closing date
- Number of pitches in use
- Type of units accepted
- Any closure dates
- Facility servicing dates
The 60-day limit applies to the campsite use of the land. It is not a separate allowance for each pitch, booking platform or field manager.
Do not split one operation across nearby fields to avoid the limit. Keep your layout and records clear.
What happened to the old 28-day rule?
The old Class B 28-day rule caused confusion.
It was commonly used for temporary tent camping. In England, camping was removed from the general Class B route after the transition period ended on 25 July 2024.
Class BC now covers ordinary temporary recreational campsites.
Class B has a narrower role. It can still relate to some temporary uses, including certain festival arrangements. It is not the normal route for a farm campsite, pub campsite or hotel campsite.
So, if you are researching the “28-day rule” for an English campsite, update your plan.
Use Class BC.
Check the 60-day limit.
Contact your local planning authority before you spend money.
The 50-pitch maximum
Class BC allows no more than 50 pitches.
Treat this as a hard limit.
Create a pitch plan before you advertise. Mark every pitch. Include tent areas, campervan spaces and any other area you will make available to guests.
Do not add overflow pitches during busy weekends.
Do not describe spare grass as “available space” if guests can use it as part of the campsite.
A smaller site may be easier to manage. Start with the number of pitches you can service safely. Plan toilets, waste collection, emergency access and parking around that number.
Annual written notification to the local planning authority
Class BC is not a simple open-and-start permission.
You must notify your local planning authority in writing before the campsite starts in each calendar year.
Your notification must include a site plan showing:
- Toilet facilities
- Waste disposal facilities
- The dates when the site will be in use
Add useful information to make the plan easy to understand.
Show:
- Site boundaries
- Pitch locations
- Entrance and exit
- Internal access routes
- Emergency access
- Parking
- Water points
- Waste collection areas
- Nearby homes and roads
The statutory requirement focuses on the toilet and waste facilities and the operating dates. A fuller plan helps the council understand your proposal.
Send the notification early.
Keep:
- A copy of the notification
- The site plan
- Proof of delivery
- Any council response
- Your daily operating log
- Toilet servicing records
- Waste collection records
If the local planning authority is separate from the fire and rescue authority, it must pass the notification to the relevant fire and rescue authority.
Use the official legislation as your starting point. Then check your local council process.
When does a prior approval campsite application apply?
Prior approval applies only where the proposed Class BC campsite is on land within Flood Zone 2 or Flood Zone 3.
It is not a general requirement for every Class BC campsite.
If your site is outside Flood Zones 2 and 3, Class BC still requires annual written notification. It does not normally require prior approval under the flood condition.
If any part of the proposed campsite is in Flood Zone 2 or 3, apply for prior approval before opening in that calendar year.
Your application must include:
- A site plan.
- A site-specific flood risk assessment.
- Warning arrangements.
- Evacuation arrangements.
- Proposed operating dates.
- Toilet and waste details.
- Any required fee.
The local planning authority must consult the Environment Agency.
The determination period is normally 56 days from receipt of the application.
Do not open while a valid application remains undecided.
You can start after written prior approval, or after the 56-day period expires without the council notifying you that approval is granted or refused, subject to the GPDO procedure and a valid submission.
Use the Planning Portal prior approval form for temporary recreational campsites in Flood Zones 2 and 3.
Build your flood risk assessment around practical action.
Explain:
- How guests receive flood warnings
- Who checks the forecast
- Where guests move
- How vehicles leave
- How emergency services access the site
- How you manage night-time evacuation
- How you record incidents
Check the Class BC exclusions
Class BC does not apply everywhere.
Check the land before you prepare a notification.
The right does not permit the campsite on:
- A scheduled monument
- A safety hazard area
- A military explosives storage area
- A Site of Special Scientific Interest
- The site of a listed building
Class BC also excludes the siting of caravans, except a caravan that is a motor vehicle designed or adapted for human habitation.
Check for other restrictions.
Review:
- Article 4 Directions
- Planning conditions
- National park restrictions
- Environmental designations
- Highway constraints
- Existing site licences
- Water and drainage limits
Farmland does not automatically qualify.
Ask your local planning authority for a written position if the site has a complex history.
Do not forget campsite licensing
Permitted development rights deal with planning.
They do not remove other legal duties.
Check whether you need:
- A campsite licence
- A caravan site licence
- Public liability insurance
- Fire safety controls
- Waste contracts
- Water and wastewater arrangements
- Environmental permits
- Food or alcohol permissions
- Business rates advice
A separate campsite licensing threshold may apply where a site operates for more than 42 consecutive days or more than 60 days in a year. Unit type and exemptions matter.
Speak to the local licensing team before taking bookings.
Keep planning and licensing records in one compliance file.
Turn Class BC into farm diversification camping
Use the 60-day route as a test period.
Start with a site review.
Check:
- The land location.
- The Class BC exclusions.
- Flood Zone status.
- The annual operating dates.
- The number of pitches.
- Toilet capacity.
- Waste storage.
- Vehicle access.
- Emergency access.
- Neighbour impact.
- Insurance.
- Licensing.
Then choose a simple operating model.
You could offer:
- Tent pitches
- Campervan pitches
- Guided outdoor experiences
- Wildlife walks
- Campfire sessions
- Local food partnerships
- Weekend packages
- Corporate group bookings
Match the offer to your land.
A pub can link camping with meals.
A hotel can add field pitches for overflow demand.
A farm can link camping with walking, wildlife or seasonal activities.
A rural landowner can test the market before seeking a longer-term planning permission.
Keep the first season manageable.
Set quiet hours.
Control vehicle movements.
Provide clear arrival instructions.
Protect watercourses.
Service toilets on schedule.
Remove waste promptly.
Record complaints and incidents.
Your operating file will help you improve the site and support future planning discussions.
Build a compliant campsite plan
Use a calendar.
Choose your opening dates before you notify the council.
Use a site plan.
Mark every pitch and facility.
Check Flood Zones 2 and 3.
Prepare a flood risk assessment if required.
Speak to the licensing team.
Check insurance.
Then market the site.
Do not advertise dates that exceed the 60-day limit.
Do not accept more than 50 pitches.
Do not open before completing the required annual notification.
Open Sky Adventure helps farmers, pubs, hotels and rural landowners plan licensed camping sites. We support practical site layouts, safety systems, compliance checks and outdoor visitor experiences.
Read The Legals, explore how to unlock your land, then contact Open Sky Adventure.
We will happily help you, signup live now if you have an interest in joining our license agreement.
This article is for general information. Planning, licensing and environmental rules can vary by site. Confirm your position with your local planning authority and licensing team before opening.