Getting started, UK
The rules that decide how many days a year you can run a campsite on your own land, in plain English. This is orientation, not legal advice: always confirm with your local planning authority.
In England, permitted development rights let you use land for temporary camping for a set number of days each calendar year without applying for full planning permission. For decades that allowance was 28 days, which is why hosts still call it the 28 day rule. In 2023 the allowance for many temporary uses, camping included, was raised to 60 days a year in England. So the current England headline is 60 days, but the older 28 day figure still applies to some uses and some places.
The day count is what unlocks a low-friction start: within it, a farmer or landowner can run a seasonal campsite, test demand, and take real bookings before committing to the full planning route a permanent site needs.
Treat 60 days a year as the England allowance and 28 as the historical figure you will still see quoted. The catch is that the higher allowance comes with conditions, and protected areas change the picture: national parks, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and conservation areas often keep tighter limits. Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland have their own rules and do not simply mirror England. The number that applies to your field is a question only your local planning authority can answer for certain.
There is a second, well-trodden path for very small sites. A certificated location (CL) is a small pitch-limited site, traditionally up to five caravans or motorhomes, run under an exemption held by a club such as the Caravan and Motorhome Club or the Camping and Caravanning Club. Certificated sites (CS) are the tent equivalent. Operating under a club's exemption lets a small site run year-round without the planning route a larger commercial site needs. You apply through the club, meet their conditions, and they issue the certificate.
For a landowner who wants to host a handful of pitches all season rather than a short seasonal burst, the CL and CS route is often the cleaner fit than counting days.
You generally move into planning-permission territory when you go beyond the day allowance, add permanent facilities like a toilet block or hardstanding, or operate in a protected landscape. Planning is decided locally and the rules change, so the sensible first move is a short pre-application enquiry with your council. It is cheaper than getting it wrong and having to stop.
The permissions get you the right to host; a booking system gets you paid. You need guests to be able to see live availability, book a pitch, and pay a deposit, without you fielding every enquiry by phone. Campdirect builds you a booking website for your site in an afternoon, with live availability, deposits, and card payments, from a flat monthly fee and with no commission on your bookings.
In England, permitted development rights let you use land for temporary camping for a limited number of days each calendar year without full planning permission. The long-standing allowance was 28 days; since 2023 many uses, including camping, can run up to 60 days a year in England under the expanded permitted development rules. The exact allowance and conditions vary, and Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland differ, so always confirm with your local planning authority before you start.
In England the temporary-use allowance for camping was raised from 28 to 60 days a year in 2023 under permitted development. The 28 day figure still appears widely because it applied for decades and still applies to some uses and some areas. Treat 60 days as the current England headline and verify your specific situation with your council, because national parks, AONBs, and conservation areas often have tighter limits.
A certificated location (CL) is a small site, traditionally up to five caravans or motorhomes, run under the exemption held by a club such as the Caravan and Motorhome Club or the Camping and Caravanning Club. Certificated sites (CS) are the tent equivalent. Operating under a club exemption lets a small site run year-round without the planning route that a larger commercial site needs. The clubs set their own conditions, so apply through them.
It depends on how many days a year you operate and where your land is. Within the permitted-development day allowance you may not need full planning permission, but going beyond it, adding permanent facilities, or operating in a protected area usually does. Planning law is local and changes, so the safe first step is a quick call or pre-application enquiry with your local planning authority.
You need a way for guests to see availability, book, and pay, plus the right insurance and facilities for your site. Campdirect gives you the booking side: your own booking website with live availability, deposits, and card payments, live the same day, from a flat monthly fee with no commission.
This guide is general information, not legal or planning advice. Rules differ across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland and change over time. Confirm your position with your local planning authority before you start.
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