Meta description: Find out how the 100m buffer zone affects Class BA camping in Wales, how Class BC works in England, and how to check a field’s potential before launching a campsite in 2026.
Hello, farmer, pub owner, hotelier or rural landowner. Before you plan pitches, check whether your land qualifies. In Wales, start with the 100m buffer. In England, check the separate Class BC rules. Then test demand without committing to permanent works.
Planning rules can change, and local restrictions may apply. Check the current legislation and speak with your local planning authority before opening.
What the 100m buffer zone means for a campsite in Wales
Under Class BA camping Wales, campsite use is not permitted on land within 100 metres of a protected dwelling, except for a private way. A protected dwelling is a dwellinghouse or flat occupied by someone other than the campsite owner or operator.
Treat this as an early site-selection test. Don’t measure only from a house to the nearest tent. Map the proposed campsite-use area, including its pitches and operational areas, then check whether any of that land falls within the buffer. Ask your planning authority to confirm the measurement approach if the boundary is unclear.
To map it:
- Mark the proposed campsite boundary on an up-to-date aerial map.
- Identify nearby dwellings and check who occupies them.
- Draw a 100m radius around each relevant dwelling.
- Overlay the circles on your campsite boundary and draft layout.
- Keep the map and measurement notes with your site records.
A private way may pass through the buffer. That exception does not make the surrounding land eligible for campsite use. If the buffer cuts into the field you planned to use, redraw the site or consider another planning route.
Class BA Wales vs Class BC England: check the right rule
The 100m dwelling buffer is a Welsh Class BA restriction. It is not a national Class BC restriction in England.
| Check | Wales: Class BA | England: Class BC |
|---|---|---|
| Annual use | Up to 60 days in eligible areas | Up to 60 days |
| Designated landscapes | 28 days in National Parks, National Landscapes and World Heritage Sites | No equivalent Class BC 28-day limit |
| Pitch cap | No express Class BA cap | Up to 50 pitches |
| Dwelling buffer | 100m restriction applies | No equivalent national buffer |
| Annual process | Apply for a determination on prior approval | Notify the local planning authority in writing |
| Flood Zones 2 and 3 | Class BA campsite use is excluded | Prior approval is required |
The old temporary campsite 28 days rule can cause confusion. Under the 2026 Welsh rules, eligible land outside the named designated landscapes may qualify for up to 60 days under Class BA. The 28-day limit still applies within those landscapes. England’s Class BC rule allows up to 60 days, subject to its conditions.
Read the Welsh Class BA legislation and the English Class BC legislation before you plan dates or pitches.
Map your land before you commit to a layout
Draw a plan before buying equipment or hiring facilities. Mark:
- The site boundary, pitches and shared areas.
- Every nearby dwelling and, in Wales, each 100m buffer.
- Access from the highway, parking, turning and emergency routes.
- Toilets, wastewater arrangements and waste storage.
- Streams, ditches, steep slopes and areas that hold water.
- Protected sites, listed buildings and other mapped constraints.
Check the relevant council and government maps. In Wales, check the Flood Map for Wales. In England, check flood risk and remember that Flood Zones 2 and 3 trigger Class BC prior approval rather than automatically excluding the site. Start with the GOV.UK flood risk service.
Check designations too. The legislation names restrictions including scheduled monuments, Sites of Special Scientific Interest and listed-building sites. Welsh Class BA also excludes sites such as Special Areas of Conservation, Special Protection Areas and Ramsar sites. Check the exact rules for your country, plus any local Article 4 Direction or planning condition.
Red flags that can stop a campsite plan
Reject or rethink a field early if you find:
- A Welsh buffer conflict: campsite-use land falls within 100m of a protected dwelling.
- Flood risk: Welsh Flood Zone 2 or 3 land is excluded from Class BA. In England, prior approval applies in Flood Zones 2 and 3.
- A protected-site conflict: the land falls into a designation excluded by the relevant class.
- Poor access: visitors would queue on a public road, struggle to turn or create an unsafe entrance.
- Neighbour sensitivity: homes sit close to the proposed activity, or vehicle movements and late arrivals could cause avoidable conflict.
- High servicing costs: the site lacks a workable toilet, wastewater and waste-disposal plan.
Check access on foot and by vehicle. Look for visibility, gate width, passing space and a safe place to turn. In Wales, the authority must require prior approval if it considers the proposal likely to cause a material increase or change in local traffic. See our guide to highway access and campsite planning.
Test the site for one season, without overbuilding
A seasonal test can show whether visitors will book and whether the site works in practice. It does not remove planning or other legal requirements.
Start with a small number of pitches. Use moveable facilities. Choose operating dates that fit the relevant annual limit. Submit the correct annual notification or prior-approval application before opening, and operate to the plan you submitted or received approval for.
Keep a simple record of bookings, occupied pitch-nights, guest questions, waste collections, access issues and complaints. Use the results to decide whether to repeat, revise or stop. Avoid permanent tracks, buildings or fixed facilities unless you have checked whether separate permission is needed.
Read our farm diversification guide for Class BA in Wales and Class BC campsite guide for England.
Help your pub or hotel earn more from a paddock
A paddock near an existing pub or hotel may be easier to serve than a remote field. Guests may already have access to toilets, food and staff support. Check that your proposed setup meets the campsite rules. Do not assume that existing hotel facilities automatically meet every campsite requirement.
Keep tents away from busy service areas. Mark a clear route between pitches and facilities. Set arrival times and quiet hours. Consider whether campers can use the pub or hotel for meals, showers or breakfast, and be clear about what your offer includes.
A beer garden may support daytime activity, but it is not automatically a suitable camping area. Check space, safe access, other guests, noise and the relevant planning requirements before adding overnight use.
Price per pitch per night and estimate your yield
Set a test price, then compare it with nearby sites, facilities and local demand. For an initial model, use example prices rather than treating them as a market rate:
- Basic tent pitch: £20 per night
- Pitch with a simple added facility: £30 per night
Then calculate gross income:
Pitch count × nightly price × available nights × occupancy rate
For example, 12 pitches × £25 × 60 permitted days × 60% occupancy gives £10,800 gross. This is a planning example, not a forecast. Deduct staffing, toilets, wastewater, waste collection, insurance, booking fees, maintenance and tax. Count the permitted operating days carefully, and confirm how the rules apply to your dates and site.
A simple farm diversification sequence: check, plan, launch
- Check the country and planning class. Use Class BC in England or Class BA in Wales.
- Screen the land. Map dwellings, the Welsh 100m buffer, flood risk, designations and local restrictions.
- Check access and facilities. Price toilets, wastewater, waste collection, parking and emergency access.
- Draft a small layout. Number pitches and show facilities, access and operating dates.
- Complete the right annual process. Notify or apply for a determination, and wait for approval when required.
- Check separate duties. Permitted development rights are not a complete campsite licence. Confirm licensing, environmental health, fire safety, insurance and wastewater requirements with the relevant authorities.
- Run the season and review. Keep records, calculate net returns and change the plan only after checking the rules.
Choose the field that passes the legal checks and costs least to operate, not simply the one with the best view. For help with land, campsite options and the Open Sky Adventure group, visit our landowner page and sign up on our website.
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