Meta description: Learn how the 100m buffer zone affects Class BA camping Wales, including protected dwellings, prior approval, the 28-day rule and farm diversification camping under the 60-day rule.
Hello, farmer, pub owner, hotel operator or rural landowner.
Your land may support a campsite.
Start with the planning rules.
In Wales, Class BA provides a permitted development route for temporary recreational campsites. It can support farm diversification camping, pub overflow accommodation, hotel packages and seasonal rural tourism.
But the 100m buffer zone matters.
Plan it before you draw pitches, advertise stays or take bookings.
This article gives general information. It is not legal advice. Ask your local planning authority or planning professional to check your site.
What is Class BA camping in Wales?
Class BA is a permitted development right under the Welsh General Permitted Development Order.
It allows land to operate as a temporary recreational campsite for:
- Up to 60 days per calendar year on most land.
- Up to 28 days per calendar year in protected landscapes and World Heritage Sites.
- Moveable structures reasonably needed for the campsite use.
The main restrictions still apply.
Class BA does not apply to all land. It also does not remove the need to follow other legal requirements.
Read the official Class BA legislation before you commit to a site layout.
You should also check:
- Caravan site licensing.
- Fire safety.
- Insurance.
- Waste disposal.
- Toilet and wastewater arrangements.
- Highway access.
- Environmental rules.
- Public liability.
- Guest safety.
Planning permission and site licensing are separate matters.
What is the 100m buffer zone for a campsite in Wales?
The 100m buffer zone campsite Wales rule prevents Class BA camping on land within 100 metres of a protected dwelling.
The only stated exception is the use of a private way.
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 can include:
- A neighbour’s house.
- A nearby farm cottage.
- A village home.
- A flat above or beside another property.
- A dwelling beside a pub field.
- A home near hotel grounds.
The rule can affect land that looks separate from the house.
A paddock may still fall inside the buffer.
A field behind a pub may still be restricted.
A hotel lawn may sit too close to nearby cottages.
Prior approval cannot remove the 100m restriction.
If the proposed campsite falls inside the buffer, Class BA does not authorise that use. You must move the campsite outside the restricted area or consider a full planning application.
How to measure the buffer before drawing pitches
Measure first.
Draw pitches later.
Follow this process.
1. Map every nearby protected dwelling
Use an up-to-date site plan.
Mark every house and flat near the land.
Check neighbouring plots.
Check cottages beside access tracks.
Check homes near field corners.
Do not rely only on your ownership boundary.
2. Identify the domestic curtilage
The buffer should be assessed from the protected dwelling and its domestic curtilage.
Curtilage can include associated garden or yard land.
It may also include areas linked to the dwelling.
If the boundary is unclear, ask your local planning authority for confirmation.
Do not assume that the measurement starts at the nearest wall.
3. Draw a 100m exclusion area
Draw the 100m area from the outer edge of the relevant curtilage.
Use a scaled plan.
Use accurate mapping or a professional survey where needed.
Then mark every part of your proposed campsite.
Include:
- Tent pitches.
- Parking.
- Toilets.
- Wastewater facilities.
- Waste storage.
- Guest amenities.
- Vehicle routes.
- Reception areas.
- Moveable structures.
If any campsite area sits inside the buffer, Class BA may not apply to that part of the land.
Use the plan to find a workable site area.
How pubs and hotels can work around the buffer
Pubs and hotels often have a planning advantage.
They may already have:
- Toilets.
- Water.
- Waste collection.
- Parking.
- Food service.
- Staff.
- Lighting.
- Access from an established road.
But their land can also sit close to homes.
Check the buffer before using a beer garden, paddock, lawn or overflow field.
Use land further from nearby homes
A pub may have a field behind the building.
A hotel may have grounds at the end of a drive.
The best camping area may not be the closest area to the main building.
Use a separate field if it sits outside the buffer.
Show the route between the campsite and the building.
Keep guests away from unsafe service areas.
Separate campsite traffic from pub deliveries and hotel vehicles.
Use existing services carefully
Existing toilets can support the operation.
They do not remove the need to show toilet and wastewater arrangements.
Explain:
- How guests reach the toilets.
- How often facilities are cleaned.
- Where wastewater goes.
- How waste is stored.
- How collections take place.
- How emergency access works.
If the campsite relies on hotel or pub facilities, show this clearly on the plan.
Build a clear guest offer
A pub can offer camping with meals.
A hotel can offer camping with walking packages.
A rural inn can offer camping beside local routes.
Keep the offer simple.
Connect the campsite to services you already provide.
Do not promise facilities that your application does not cover.
The 28-day rule and the 60-day rule
The temporary campsite 60 days rule applies to most eligible land in Wales.
You can use the land as a recreational campsite for up to 60 days in one calendar year.
The limit is lower in protected areas.
| Location | Maximum Class BA campsite use |
|---|---|
| General land in Wales | 60 days |
| National Park | 28 days |
| National Landscape or AONB | 28 days |
| World Heritage Site | 28 days |
The 28-day limit applies to land within the relevant protected landscape or World Heritage Site.
Count days across the whole calendar year.
Do not reset the count by changing your booking platform.
Do not exceed the limit by operating separate blocks without tracking the total.
Use a calendar.
Record:
- Opening dates.
- Closing dates.
- Guest dates.
- Facility installation dates.
- Pitch numbers.
- Cancellations.
- Changes to the site layout.
The old general 28-day camping route has also changed under the 2026 Welsh rules.
Class BA is now the key route for temporary recreational camping. Do not rely on historic advice without checking the current position.
The annual determination application
You must apply to your local planning authority before beginning Class BA development in each calendar year.
The application asks the authority to determine whether prior approval is required.
The main matters are:
- Toilet and wastewater facilities.
- Waste disposal facilities.
- Vehicular access.
Your application must include a site plan with:
- Pitch locations.
- Campsite boundaries.
- Toilets.
- Wastewater facilities.
- Waste storage.
- Access from the highway.
- Operating dates.
- The 100m buffer zones.
- Relevant land restrictions.
Use the Welsh Government campsite determination information.
The authority normally has 28 days to issue its determination or identify an incomplete application.
If prior approval is required, submit the further application.
Do not start until the required written outcome is in place.
If prior approval is not required, operate in line with the submitted plan and particulars.
Do not change the pitch layout without checking the planning effect.
When does prior approval become important?
The council must consider whether the campsite could cause a material increase or material change in local traffic.
If it believes this may happen, prior approval for access and highways matters may be required.
Give the council enough information to assess the route.
Show:
- Highway entrance.
- Visibility.
- Road width.
- Passing points.
- Turning space.
- Guest parking.
- Emergency access.
- Waste collection access.
- Delivery routes.
Do not assume that a quiet lane is suitable.
Do not use an access route that becomes unsafe after rain.
Plan for fire engines, ambulances, tractors and service vehicles.
Other Class BA exclusions to check
The 100m buffer is only one test.
Class BA does not apply to certain sensitive land, including:
- Flood Zone 2 or Flood Zone 3.
- Sites of Special Scientific Interest.
- Special Areas of Conservation.
- Special Protection Areas.
- Ramsar sites.
- Scheduled monuments.
- Sites of listed buildings.
- Safety hazard areas.
- Military explosives storage areas.
Check the site before preparing an application.
Save the map searches.
Record the dates.
Ask for written advice where the position is unclear.
How farm diversification camping can stay profitable
The 60-day limit can still support a useful seasonal income stream.
Start with the numbers.
Calculate:
- Number of pitches.
- Price per night.
- Expected occupancy.
- Cleaning costs.
- Waste costs.
- Staffing.
- Insurance.
- Booking fees.
- Equipment hire.
- Application and professional costs.
Then build a calendar.
Use weekends, school holidays and local events.
Leave gaps for maintenance.
Avoid taking bookings beyond the legal limit.
Start with fewer pitches if this reduces risk and cost.
Use land outside livestock areas.
Keep guests away from machinery, ponds, gates and farm traffic.
Consider a simple offer:
- Tent pitches.
- Guided walks.
- Farm activities.
- Local food.
- Pub meals.
- Outdoor skills.
- Nature experiences.
Do not treat the 60 days as guaranteed profit.
The site must still attract guests.
Access must work.
Facilities must be managed.
The operation must follow the approved plan.
Use Open Sky Adventure for licensed camping support
Class BA camping Wales can create a new income stream.
It needs a proper site check.
Map the buffer.
Check the protected landscape status.
Review the exclusions.
Plan facilities.
Prepare the annual determination application.
Track every operating day.
Open Sky Adventure is an industry-leading authority in licensed camping and rural land use support. We help farmers, pubs, hotels and landowners assess site potential, plan responsible camping and move through the compliance process.
Visit our land and site potential service.
Review our legal information.
Then contact Open Sky Adventure, join the 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.