Meta description: Planning a 60-day campsite? Check protected species, hedgerows, lighting and site design before using Class BC in England or Class BA in Wales.
Hello, farmer, pub or hotel owner, and rural landowner. Before you open a temporary campsite, check what lives on and around the proposed pitches.
A campsite may qualify for permitted development rights. That does not give you permission to harm wildlife. Check both sets of rules before you mow, cut, light, build or welcome guests.
Permitted development rights for a campsite UK: planning is not wildlife consent
In England, Class BC camping can allow recreational camping for up to 60 days in a calendar year, subject to its conditions. In Wales, Class BA camping has its own rules, exclusions and prior-approval process.
These rights deal with planning permission. They do not cancel duties under wildlife law. Prior approval is not a wildlife licence, and a planning route does not authorise you to damage a protected animal’s breeding or resting place.
Check the current rules before choosing your dates and layout. Read the Class BC legislation for England and the Welsh Class BA Order. For broader planning steps, see our guide to prior approval for a 2026 pop-up campsite.
Nesting birds: time your temporary campsite 60 days rule
Wild birds, their eggs and active nests receive legal protection. Natural England’s guidance identifies March to August as the main breeding survey period, but an active nest can be protected outside these months too.
Open fields are not automatically wildlife-free. Ground-nesting birds may use field margins and rough grass, while hedges, scrub, trees and barns can provide nesting places.
Mowing, hedge cutting or pitching tents across a field can disturb birds or damage nests. Before work:
- Walk the field and check margins, rough grass, hedges and buildings.
- Do not clear or mow habitat without first checking for active nests.
- Keep pitches, parking and footpaths away from places where birds may nest.
- If you find an active nest, leave it undisturbed and get advice.
Where your trading plans allow, schedule your 60-day season outside the main nesting period. If you want to operate between March and August, use suitable, already-managed areas only after checking for wildlife. Do not treat a calendar date as proof that a field is clear.
Bats: protect roosts, routes and dark areas
Bats may roost in barns, trees and other structures. They also use hedgerows, water and tree lines to travel and feed. A building used for toilets or other campsite facilities still needs checking before repairs, lighting or other work.
All bat species and their roosts are protected. A roost can remain protected when bats are not present. If your plans could affect a roost, seek advice from a suitably qualified ecologist before starting.
Keep lighting limited. Use downward-facing fittings, warm-colour light and timers where lighting is needed. Aim lights away from trees, hedges, water and possible roost entrances. Avoid leaving lights on all night. Bright or poorly aimed lighting can disrupt bats near roosts and feeding routes.
Check Natural England’s bat guidance for more detail.
Ponds, streams and wet ground: check species and set site-specific buffers
Ponds, ditches and streams can support great crested newts, water voles, otters and other wildlife. Wet grassland and connecting hedges may also provide important habitat.
A pond or stream nearby is a reason to assess the site, not proof that a protected species is present. Nor is there one universal legal buffer distance that suits every species and site. Ask an ecologist to define suitable exclusion areas based on habitat, survey findings and the work planned.
Until you have that advice, keep pitches, vehicles, stores, waste facilities and lighting away from water edges and wet ground. Do not drain, fill or alter banks as part of campsite preparation without checking the relevant permissions and wildlife risks.
Natural England’s protected-species guidance lists habitats and survey considerations for species including newts and water voles. In Wales, contact Natural Resources Wales for relevant species and site advice.
Hedgerows and trees: prevent avoidable damage
Check the Hedgerows Regulations 1997 before removing a qualifying countryside hedgerow. Depending on the hedge and the reason for removal, you may need to notify your local planning authority and allow time for its decision. Check the rules before cutting or removing a hedge, even if your campsite has planning permission.
Also check for a tree preservation order, conservation-area controls and any felling licence requirement before pruning or felling trees.
Protect roots from cars, caravans and delivery vehicles. Mark out no-go areas around trees, keep traffic on agreed routes, and do not store equipment or dig near trunks. Ask an arborist to advise on the root protection area where needed. Veteran trees and mature hedges can also support birds, bats and other wildlife, so keep pitches and lighting away from them.
Read the government’s guide to countryside hedgerow protection.
SSSIs, nature reserves and landscapes: check the map first
Check whether the land lies within or near a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), local nature reserve, National Park or Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). Also check for other protected designations and local restrictions.
In England, Class BC excludes certain sites, including SSSIs. In Wales, Class BA excludes several designated sites, including SSSIs, and allows up to 28 days in a National Park, AONB or World Heritage Site rather than the usual 60-day maximum.
The Welsh 100m buffer zone campsite rule is a separate siting restriction: Class BA excludes land within 100 metres of a protected dwelling, subject to the stated private-way exception. It is not a general buffer for bats, birds, newts or streams.
A campsite outside a designated boundary can still affect it through lighting, noise, traffic, trampling or wastewater. Check with the relevant planning authority and conservation body before proceeding.
A practical ecology checklist for farm diversification camping
Build these steps into your site plan and prior-approval preparation:
- Walk the field in spring, and again before any clearance or setup.
- Record what you see, where you saw it and when. Keep a dated survey note.
- Check local records and commission an ecologist where habitats or records indicate a risk.
- Put pitches away from hedges, wet ground, ponds, streams and veteran trees.
- Mark no-go areas on the site map and tell staff and contractors.
- Secure food and waste, use covered bins and remove rubbish regularly.
- Brief campers on quiet hours, staying on paths and turning off lights.
- Include the ecology note and planned avoidance measures in your supporting information where relevant.
For Class BA, prior approval screening asks for details such as facilities, waste arrangements, pitches and access. An ecology note may not be a listed standard item for every application, but it can help show that you have considered site impacts. For Class BC, provide the required notice and information, and check whether other controls apply. Wildlife checks remain separate in both cases.
Find a protected species? Stop and get advice
Stop the work that could affect the animal or its habitat. Keep people and vehicles away, do not handle wildlife, and contact a suitably qualified ecologist.
You may need a licence from Natural England in England or Natural Resources Wales in Wales before work can continue. A licence is not automatic. Some impacts, including harm to active bird nests, cannot simply be made lawful by relying on campsite permitted development.
Make ecology part of a compliant campsite plan
Good site design can help protect wildlife and reduce disruption to your operation. Record the checks, follow the survey advice, and keep the final layout, dates, access and operating arrangements consistent with your planning route.
That gives your farm diversification camping scheme a clearer basis for operating, and helps you avoid delays caused by late discoveries or unsuitable siting. For more on the wider rules, see our guide to Class BC and Class BA camping.
This article is general information, not site-specific legal or ecological advice. Check the rules that apply to your land before work begins.
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