Hello, landowner. Your field may support a campsite. Check the rules first.
Planning law differs between England and Wales. The old 28-day rule has changed. Class BC now controls temporary campsites in England. Class BA applies in Wales.
Use this guide before you advertise pitches, accept bookings, or invest in facilities.
This article covers England and Wales. It is not legal advice. Confirm your site position with your Local Planning Authority (LPA) before you open.
England: understand Class BC camping
Class BC is the main permitted development right for campsites in England.
It allows you to use land as a temporary recreational campsite for:
- Up to 60 days in one calendar year
- Up to 50 pitches
- Moveable structures needed for the campsite
These structures can include:
- Portable toilets
- Waste facilities
- Showers
- A moveable reception hut
- Other necessary campsite equipment
Class BC can support tents, motorhomes and campervans. It does not cover towed caravans. Check separate caravan rules if you plan to accept them.
Read the official Class BC legislation.
The temporary campsite 60 days rule
Count your days from 1 January to 31 December.
Do not count by season. Do not count by booking period. Count every day when the land operates as a campsite.
You can use the 60 days in different ways. For example:
- 60 consecutive days
- 30 days in spring and 30 days in summer
- Selected weekends
- School holidays and bank holidays
- Several shorter operating blocks
Keep a day-by-day log. Record opening and closing dates. Store it with your site plans and council correspondence.
Can you use 58 consecutive days?
Yes, from a planning perspective.
Class BC does not say that the 60 days must be split. A 58-day continuous campsite period remains within the annual 60-day planning limit.
You could then use two more days later in the same calendar year. Your total would be 60 days.
But planning permission and campsite licensing are separate.
A 58-day tent operation normally crosses the separate 42-consecutive-day licensing threshold. You will usually need a campsite licence from day 43 onwards.
A 14-day closure breaks the next consecutive period. It does not remove the licence requirement already triggered by the first 58-day block.
Plan for this difference:
| Issue | 58 days followed by 14 days |
|---|---|
| Class BC planning limit | Within 60 days |
| 14-day break | Starts a new consecutive count |
| Tent campsite licence | Usually required after day 42 |
| Extra two days later | Uses the final two Class BC days |
Ask your local licensing team for a written position. Include the type of camping units you will accept.
Do not rely on the old 28-day rule
The old general Class B 28-day rule created confusion.
It allowed temporary use of land for up to 28 days in a calendar year. It was often used for tent camping. That route is no longer the normal route for temporary recreational campsites in England.
Use Class BC for ordinary temporary camping.
Class B now has a narrower role. It can cover certain festival-related camping uses. It does not replace Class BC for a standard farm campsite, pub campsite or hotel campsite.
Do not split one campsite across nearby fields to avoid the limit. Keep a clear record of the whole operation. The council may look at the wider use and management pattern.
Notify your Local Planning Authority
You must notify your LPA in writing before the campsite starts in each calendar year.
Send:
- A site plan
- Your operating dates
- The location of every pitch
- Toilet locations
- Waste disposal locations
- The site entrance
- Internal access routes
- Emergency access
Use a clear, scaled plan. Mark the field boundary. Show nearby homes. Mark water, wastewater and waste collection points.
Send the notice early. Some councils recommend substantial lead time. Check your LPA’s local process.
Keep:
- The submitted notification
- Proof of delivery
- The plan you sent
- Council replies
- Your operating day log
- Facility servicing records
The LPA must pass the information to the fire and rescue authority if the two authorities are separate.
When does a prior approval campsite application apply?
Class BC prior approval applies when any part of the proposed campsite sits in Flood Zone 2 or Flood Zone 3.
You must apply before the campsite starts in that calendar year.
Do not open while the application remains undecided.
Prepare:
- A site plan.
- A flood risk assessment.
- A warning and evacuation plan.
- Details of access and emergency access.
- Operating dates.
- Toilet and waste information.
- Any other information requested by the LPA.
The LPA has up to 56 days to decide.
You can start after:
- Written confirmation that prior approval is granted, or
- The 56-day period expires without the LPA notifying you that approval is granted or refused
Check that your application is valid and complete. An incomplete submission can create delay.
Use the Planning Portal prior approval form for temporary recreational campsites.
Build your application around risk control. Show how guests will receive flood warnings. Show where they will go. Keep routes clear. Give the council usable information.
Check England’s exclusions
Class BC does not apply everywhere.
Check whether the site includes or falls within:
- A listed building’s curtilage
- A Site of Special Scientific Interest
- A scheduled monument
- A safety hazard area
- A military explosives storage area
Also check for an Article 4 Direction. An Article 4 Direction can remove permitted development rights in a specific area.
Do not assume that farmland qualifies. Check the designation, the flood zone and the local planning records.
There is no national 100-metre buffer in England’s Class BC rules. You still need to manage neighbours, noise, lighting, traffic, privacy, waste and fire risk.
Map nearby homes anyway. Place pitches away from boundaries. Set quiet hours. Control vehicle movements. Speak to neighbours before opening.
Wales: check Class BA
Wales uses a different system.
The 2026 Welsh changes introduce Class BA for temporary recreational campsites.
The standard limit is:
- Up to 60 days per calendar year outside designated landscapes
- Up to 28 days per calendar year in National Parks, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and World Heritage Sites
Class BA also allows moveable structures needed for the campsite.
It does not cover towed caravans.
Read the official Wales Class BA legislation.
Apply the Welsh 100-metre buffer
Wales has a key restriction that England does not.
Class BA cannot be used within 100 metres of a protected dwelling, except for the use of a private way.
Map the whole site before you draw your pitches. Measure from nearby protected buildings. Show the buffer on your plan.
Remove restricted land from:
- Pitch areas
- Toilets
- Waste facilities
- Access areas
- Parking areas
- Other campsite infrastructure
If the remaining land cannot support safe access and facilities, choose another field. Do not force the layout.
The 100-metre rule does not disappear because you submit a prior approval application. If the buffer affects your plan, you may need full planning permission.
Follow the Welsh prior approval process
Welsh Class BA uses an annual process.
First, submit a determination application. Ask the LPA whether prior approval is required.
Include:
- A site plan
- Operating dates
- Pitch locations
- Toilet and wastewater arrangements
- Waste disposal arrangements
- Highway access
- Highway egress
- Turning areas
The council should notify you within the required period.
If it says prior approval is not required, follow the submitted plan and any conditions.
If the council requires prior approval, submit the further application. Wait for written approval before opening.
The council may assess:
- Traffic
- Highway safety
- Access width
- Turning space
- Waste collection
- Toilets
- Wastewater
- Site management
Read the Welsh Government guidance on temporary recreational campsite prior approval.
Check Article 4 Directions too. Some authorities may remove temporary camping rights in sensitive locations.
Do not forget campsite licensing
Permitted development does not remove every legal duty.
Check whether you need:
- A campsite licence
- A caravan site licence
- Public liability insurance
- Fire safety controls
- Waste contracts
- Water and wastewater arrangements
- Food or hospitality permissions
- Environmental permits
Speak to your local licensing team before taking bookings.
Keep a compliance file. Store every plan, notification, approval, licence, insurance document and inspection record.
Use farm diversification with a clear plan
Camping can support farm diversification camping. It can also support a pub, hotel or rural accommodation business.
Start with a site review.
Check:
- Whether the land is in England or Wales.
- Which PDR class applies.
- Your annual day limit.
- Your pitch limit.
- Flood zone status.
- Environmental designations.
- Article 4 Directions.
- Nearby protected buildings.
- Access and emergency routes.
- Toilet, wastewater and waste capacity.
- Campsite licensing requirements.
- Insurance and operating controls.
Then prepare your application or notification.
Open Sky Adventure helps farmers, pubs, hotels and rural landowners plan licensed camping sites. We support site layouts, safety systems, compliance checks and practical campsite setup.
Read The Legals. Explore farm diversification support. Then contact Open Sky Adventure.
We will happily help you, signup live now if you have an interest in joining our license agreement.