Meta description: Follow this 2026 Class BC campsite compliance calendar for England, covering the 60-day rule, 50 pitches, flood approval, facilities and records.
Hello, landowner. You may be able to run a temporary campsite without full planning permission.
You must follow the rules.
This guide covers Class BC permitted development rights in England. It is for farmers, rural landowners, pubs, hotels and hospitality businesses planning a temporary campsite in 2026.
As this guide is dated 3 September 2026, use the early months as a full-year planning template. If you have not completed the required steps, do not open for your remaining 2026 dates until you have checked your position with the local planning authority.
Start with the correct rule
The old 28-day rule is no longer the main route for ordinary temporary camping in England.
The 2023 changes removed ordinary camping from Class B, except where camping connects with a festival. The new route is Class BC under the General Permitted Development Order.
Class BC allows you to:
- Use land as a recreational campsite for up to 60 days in total in each calendar year
- Provide no more than 50 pitches
- Use moveable structures reasonably necessary for the campsite
- Accept tents, motorhomes and campervans, subject to separate licensing rules
- Provide toilets and waste disposal facilities on site
The 60 days do not need to run consecutively.
They are not 60 days per pitch.
Do not treat separate fields as separate allowances without planning advice. Keep one site calendar for the whole operation.
Wales has different legislation. Do not use this England checklist for Welsh land.
Your 2026 compliance calendar
Use the calendar below to prepare your land, choose your dates and keep your records.
The target dates are planning controls. The legal requirement is to notify the LPA before commencement of development each calendar year. Flood Zone 2 and 3 sites have an extra prior approval process.
January: confirm the legal route
Check that the land is in England.
Check the ownership and site boundary.
Check the planning history.
Search for:
- Scheduled monuments
- Sites of Special Scientific Interest
- Listed building sites
- Safety hazard areas
- Military explosives storage areas
- Article 4 Directions
- Existing planning conditions
Class BC does not apply to several protected locations. Local restrictions may also remove permitted development rights.
Ask the LPA if the position is unclear. Keep the reply.
February: check flood risk and choose your 60 days
Use the GOV.UK long-term flood risk service.
Confirm whether any part of your proposed campsite sits in:
- Flood Zone 1
- Flood Zone 2
- Flood Zone 3
Then choose your operating dates.
Use the 60 days where demand is strongest. Consider school holidays, bank holidays, local events, guided outdoor weekends and weather patterns.
You could split the allowance across spring, summer and autumn.
Write the dates into one master calendar. Count every declared operating day.
Leave a buffer. Do not plan 60 days if poor ground conditions, access problems or flood risk may force changes.
March: design the site layout
Prepare a scaled site plan.
Mark:
- Every pitch
- Vehicle access
- Arrival and departure points
- Toilets
- Waste disposal facilities
- Potable water points
- Handwashing points
- Fire equipment
- Emergency access
- Assembly points
- Field boundaries
- Nearby homes, roads and watercourses
Keep the layout simple.
Do not exceed 50 pitches.
Space tents and vehicles so people can move safely. Keep emergency routes clear. Keep waste away from watercourses and food preparation areas.
April: plan water, toilets and waste
Class BC requires on-site toilet and waste disposal facilities.
Do not open first and install them later.
Plan:
- Toilet numbers and cleaning
- Handwashing facilities
- Potable water supply
- Greywater arrangements
- Chemical toilet disposal, where relevant
- General waste collection
- Recycling
- Food waste
- Sanitary waste
- Emergency cleaning supplies
Check water quality and supply capacity. Use a suitable testing and maintenance process.
Speak to the local authority’s environmental health team where you use a private supply, septic tank or treatment system.
Make the facilities accessible. Display simple instructions. Record inspections and collections.
May: prepare flood documents and notifications
Flood Zone 2 and 3 land needs prior approval before commencement each calendar year.
Submit:
- The prior approval application
- A site-specific flood risk assessment
- Warning arrangements
- Evacuation arrangements
- The site plan
- Proposed operating details
- Any required fee
The LPA must consult the Environment Agency.
The legal decision period is 56 days from receipt of the application.
Do not open while you wait.
You may begin after receiving written prior approval. You may also begin after 56 days have passed without the LPA notifying you whether prior approval is granted or refused, subject to all other conditions.
The 56 days do not reduce your 60 campsite days.
They are a separate approval period.
Submit early. Aim for at least eight to ten weeks before your first operating date.
June: notify the local planning authority
Before your first use in 2026, notify the LPA in writing.
Include:
- Your site plan
- Toilet locations
- Waste disposal locations
- The dates the site will be in use
This written notification applies in all flood zones.
It is separate from prior approval.
The LPA must pass the notice to the relevant fire and rescue authority where required.
Keep:
- A copy of the notice
- The submitted plan
- Proof of delivery
- The operating calendar
- Any LPA response
- Your flood approval documents
Do not rely on a phone call. Use a written trail.
July: complete the safety setup
Check access for emergency vehicles.
Set up a fire safety process. Provide suitable fire points. Explain cooking and fire rules to guests. Keep smoking controls clear. Do not allow blocked routes.
Check:
- Fire extinguishers
- Emergency lighting, where used
- First-aid supplies
- Site signage
- Emergency contacts
- Staff briefings
- Weather monitoring
- Evacuation arrangements
- Incident reporting
Provide clear guest instructions.
Keep vehicles away from emergency access routes.
Arrange public liability insurance. Check electrical safety for any generators, leads, lighting or powered facilities.
August: operate and record each day
Stay within your submitted plan.
Do not add pitches during busy periods.
Do not extend the season without checking the 60-day total.
Record:
- Operating dates
- Number of pitches in use
- Guest numbers
- Arrivals and departures
- Toilet inspections
- Waste collections
- Water checks
- Fire checks
- Incidents
- Complaints
- Weather or flood warnings
- Temporary structures installed and removed
Use one digital folder and one physical backup.
Update the day count after every operating day.
September: close the site properly
Stop before you reach the annual limit.
Remove temporary structures when they are no longer needed.
Remove waste.
Check the ground.
Repair damage.
Inspect drainage and access.
Record your final operating date.
Compare your records with the submitted calendar. Resolve any difference while the details are fresh.
If you are still planning to operate later in 2026, check the remaining days before taking bookings.
October: review the business
Review the season.
Measure:
- Occupancy by date
- Revenue per pitch
- Cleaning costs
- Waste costs
- Staffing costs
- Complaints
- Damage
- Weather disruption
- Guest demand
Remove weak dates from the next plan.
Keep dates that fit your land and staff capacity.
Consider adding guided walks, wildlife experiences, outdoor skills sessions or team activities. These can create income without adding pitches.
Keep every new service within its own legal and safety requirements.
November: prepare the next site plan
Update the layout.
Check new access issues.
Review water capacity.
Review fire arrangements.
Review waste contracts.
Check whether nearby development, road works or planning decisions affect the site.
If you plan motorhome or campervan pitches, check the caravan site licensing position again.
Planning permission and site licensing are different matters.
December: lock the 2027 calendar
Prepare a draft schedule.
Keep the total at 60 days or less.
Keep the pitch count at 50 or less.
Choose dates that support your farm or rural business.
Do not publish dates until you know the legal route, facilities and licence position.
Class BC does not replace licensing
Class BC is a planning rule.
It is not a campsite licence.
For independent tent-only sites, licensing exemptions can depend on staying below 42 consecutive days and below 60 days in any 12-month period. Reaching or exceeding those thresholds may require a camping licence.
Motorhomes and campervans may fall within caravan site licensing rules. Check the relevant exemptions with your council.
Read the GOV.UK camping licence guidance and contact the licensing team before taking bookings.
Build a compliant, profitable campsite
Start with the land.
Then plan:
- The legal route
- Flood risk
- The 60 operating days
- The 50-pitch limit
- Toilets and waste
- Water
- Fire safety
- Access
- Insurance
- Records
- Licensing
- Pricing
Keep the model controlled.
A smaller campsite may be easier to clean, safer to manage and more profitable per pitch.
Use premium dates for short stays. Add guided hiking, wildlife and outdoor activity packages. Work with local pubs, attractions and hospitality businesses.
Do not add permanent buildings or infrastructure under the assumption that Class BC covers them. Check separate planning requirements first.
Open Sky Adventure gives landowners a practical route through licensed camping, outdoor experiences and safe rural diversification. Start with our legal information, review our land diversification support, then contact the team.
Start your 2026 campsite plan
Check your land.
Choose your dates.
Prepare your site plan.
Confirm your facilities.
Apply for flood prior approval where required.
Notify the LPA before first use.
Keep your records.
Stay within 60 days and 50 pitches.
We will happily help you, signup live now if you have an interest in joining our license agreement.
This article provides general information about Class BC camping legislation in England in 2026. It is not planning, legal, licensing or environmental health advice. Confirm your proposal with the relevant local planning authority, licensing team and qualified advisers before operating.