Meta description: Compare Class BC camping England and Class BA camping Wales, including 60-day limits, the 28-day rule, prior approval, flood checks, pricing and farm diversification camping steps.
Hello, farmer, pub owner, hotel operator or rural landowner.
Your land may support a campsite.
Check the legal route first.
Then test the numbers.
This guide covers camping legislation UK 2026, permitted development rights campsite UK, and practical steps for building a safe seasonal business.
Class BC England and Class BA Wales: the quick comparison
England and Wales now use different campsite rules.
Do not copy an England application into Wales.
| Issue | Class BC camping England | Class BA camping Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Annual limit | Up to 60 days per calendar year | Up to 60 days on general land |
| Protected landscapes | No general 28-day campsite cap under Class BC | 28 days in National Parks, National Landscapes and World Heritage Sites |
| Pitches | No more than 50 pitches | No fixed 50-pitch limit in Class BA |
| Planning step | Notify the LPA each year | Submit an annual determination application |
| Prior approval | Applies where any part of the site is in Flood Zone 2 or 3 | The LPA may require approval for toilets, wastewater, waste and highway access |
| Key buffer | No equivalent Class BC buffer stated | Keep the campsite outside the 100m buffer zone campsite Wales rule |
| Old 28-day rule | Not the normal route for ordinary camping | Do not rely on the old general route after 31 August 2026 |
| Site licence | Separate check | Separate check |
Permitted development rights are not a site licence.
You need to check both.
What Class BC allows in England
Class BC sits in Part 4 of the General Permitted Development Order amendment.
It can allow you to:
- Use land as a temporary recreational campsite.
- Operate for up to 60 days in one calendar year.
- Provide no more than 50 pitches.
- Use moveable structures reasonably needed for the campsite.
- Provide toilets and waste facilities.
Count every operating day.
Keep a calendar.
Do not treat 60 days as 60 days per booking or per pitch.
Class BC generally supports tents, motorhomes and campervans.
It does not give you an automatic right to site traditional towed caravans or permanent buildings.
The 28-day rule in England
The old Class B 28-day route is no longer the normal route for ordinary camping in England.
From 26 July 2024, ordinary recreational campsite use moved to Class BC.
Class B remains relevant to other temporary uses and some festival-related camping.
Do not use the old 28-day rule as your 2026 campsite plan.
Use Class BC or seek full planning permission.
Annual notification
Notify your local planning authority in writing before starting development in each calendar year.
Include:
- A site plan.
- The campsite boundary.
- Pitch locations.
- Toilet locations.
- Waste disposal details.
- Exact operating dates.
Keep the notice, plan, delivery proof and operating calendar.
When prior approval applies
Class BC needs a prior approval campsite process if any part of the proposed site lies in Flood Zone 2 or Flood Zone 3.
Check the GOV.UK long-term flood risk service.
If prior approval applies:
- Prepare the required flood information.
- Explain warnings and evacuation.
- Submit the application to the LPA.
- Wait for written approval, or the statutory period to pass without a decision.
- Open only when the legal conditions are met.
Do not treat flood checks as optional.
Other exclusions can apply, including SSSIs, scheduled monuments, listed building sites, safety hazard areas and military explosives storage areas.
Check the site before buying equipment.
What Class BA allows in Wales
Class BA camping Wales is the Welsh route for temporary recreational campsites in 2026.
Read the Welsh legislation.
On general land, Class BA can allow up to 60 days in a calendar year.
The limit falls to 28 days in:
- National Parks.
- National Landscapes, formerly AONBs.
- World Heritage Sites.
The old Welsh general 28-day camping route is no longer the route to plan around after 31 August 2026.
Check the 100m buffer first
Class BA does not permit the campsite within 100 metres of a protected dwelling, except for the use of a private way.
Start with a map.
Mark nearby houses and flats.
Measure the buffer.
Keep pitches, facilities and campsite activity outside the restricted area.
Ask the LPA how it expects the measurement to be taken if the boundary is unclear.
If the field sits inside the buffer, choose another field or discuss a different planning route.
Submit the annual determination application
Use the Welsh Government temporary recreational campsite prior approval form and guidance.
Submit it before starting the campsite use for that year.
Show:
- The site boundary.
- Pitches.
- Toilets.
- Wastewater facilities.
- Waste storage.
- Vehicle access.
- Emergency access.
- Operating dates.
- Nearby dwellings.
- The 100m buffer.
The LPA can determine whether prior approval is required for:
- Toilets and wastewater.
- Waste disposal.
- Vehicular access.
If the LPA requires prior approval, provide the requested information and wait for the decision.
Do not rely on silence without checking the exact legal conditions.
Flood Zones 2 and 3, SSSIs, SACs, SPAs, Ramsar sites, scheduled monuments, listed building sites and other exclusions can prevent Class BA from applying.
Check every designation.
Route map: screen the site before spending money
Follow this order.
1. Confirm the country
Identify whether the land is in England or Wales.
Use Class BC for England.
Use Class BA for Wales.
Check whether a National Park, National Landscape, World Heritage Site or Article 4 Direction changes the position.
2. Map the constraints
Check:
- Flood zones.
- Protected dwellings.
- Environmental designations.
- Heritage designations.
- Public rights of way.
- Highway access.
- Drainage.
- Nearby homes.
- Emergency access.
- Waste collection access.
Record your checks.
Save maps and written LPA responses.
3. Choose your dates
Create one operating calendar.
Keep England within 60 days.
Keep general Welsh land within 60 days.
Keep Welsh protected landscapes within 28 days.
Do not add extra dates because demand is high.
4. Design the campsite
Place pitches on suitable ground.
Keep vehicles away from sensitive areas.
Provide clear access.
Plan turning space.
Show toilets, wastewater, waste storage and emergency routes.
Use moveable facilities where the permitted development right requires them.
5. Complete the planning step
For England, submit the annual Class BC notification.
For Wales, submit the annual Class BA determination application.
If prior approval applies, wait for the correct decision.
6. Check licensing
A planning right does not replace a campsite licence.
Check the Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act 1960.
Ask your local authority whether a licence, exemption or further consent applies.
Also check fire safety, insurance, water, wastewater, food registration, electrical safety and waste carrier duties.
Facilities that protect your margin
Do not open with poor facilities.
They create complaints and repeat costs.
Provide:
- Toilets sized for your pitch count.
- Handwashing.
- Wastewater storage or approved disposal.
- General waste and recycling points.
- Safe drinking water.
- Clear arrival information.
- Emergency contact details.
- A reliable cleaning schedule.
Use a simple inspection log.
Record cleaning, waste removal, incidents and repairs.
Pricing for farm diversification camping
Start with a simple model.
Revenue = pitches × occupancy × average nightly price
Then remove:
- Cleaning.
- Waste collection.
- Payment fees.
- Insurance.
- Staffing.
- Equipment hire.
- Licensing and professional advice.
- Marketing.
- Repairs.
- Tax.
Use test prices.
For example, you could test:
- Tent pitch: £25–£45 per night.
- Campervan pitch: £35–£60 per night.
- Guided walk add-on: £20–£60 per person.
- Group outdoor session: price per group after checking guide time and equipment.
These are planning figures.
Check nearby competitors before publishing prices.
Set a minimum stay for peak dates.
Charge separately for guided activities where the service, staffing and risk justify it.
Track profit per operating day.
A full 60-day allowance is not automatically profitable.
A smaller site with better access, lower cleaning costs and stronger bookings may perform better.
Add guided outdoor experiences
Camping gives you the bed night.
Guided activities can add value without adding permanent buildings.
Offer:
- Guided walks.
- Wildlife watching.
- Navigation sessions.
- Outdoor skills.
- Family nature sessions.
- Team-building activities.
- Farm and local history walks.
Check guide competence, insurance, risk assessments and group size.
Set weather plans.
Brief guests before departure.
Keep the campsite and activity operation separate in your records.
Open Sky Adventure can help connect camping with guided outdoor experiences, local knowledge and safety planning.
Your 2026 compliance file
Keep one folder.
Include:
- Land ownership or permission.
- Site boundary plan.
- Flood check.
- Designation checks.
- England notification or Wales application.
- Prior approval documents.
- Site licence or exemption evidence.
- Insurance.
- Risk assessments.
- Waste records.
- Cleaning checks.
- Operating calendar.
- Booking records.
- Incident and complaint logs.
Review it before each season.
Update it when the layout changes.
Start your licensed camping route
Farm diversification camping can support farms, pubs, hotels and rural businesses.
Start with the legal route.
Map the land.
Choose the dates.
Design the facilities.
Price the operation.
Then add guided outdoor experiences.
Read Open Sky Adventure’s land potential guide, compare our England Class BC guidance, and review Class BA camping in Wales.
Join the Open Sky Adventure group and sign up on the website.
We will happily help you, signup live now if you have an interest in joining our license agreement.
Legal disclaimer: This article gives general information about camping legislation UK 2026. It is not legal, planning, licensing or financial advice. Rules, guidance and local controls can change. Confirm your site with the relevant local planning authority, licensing authority and other regulators before advertising, taking bookings or opening.