Set up camping or glamping on your farm

Farm camping and glamping are popular diversifications offering good returns with relatively low capital investment. However, planning and licensing requirements vary significantly depending on the scale and nature of your operation.

Getting compliance wrong can result in enforcement action, forced removal of structures, and retrospective planning battles.

Planning permission for camping

The 60-day rule (England only)

The 60-day right (Class BC of the General Permitted Development Order, which replaced the 28-day rule in 2023) is useful for testing market demand without planning permission. However, there are strict conditions:

• The 60 days must be cumulative across a calendar year, not continuous
• No more than 50 pitches on the site at any one time
• You must notify your local planning authority each calendar year before use begins, including a site plan showing the pitches and the toilet and waste disposal facilities provided
• The right is not available on sites of special scientific interest (SSSIs), scheduled monuments, or land within the curtilage of a listed building
• The right applies to tent camping, not permanent structures like pods or static caravans
• You must keep records proving you haven't exceeded 60 days (booking records, site registers)
• Local authorities can still require you to stop if there are noise, access, or environmental concerns

If your camping proves successful and you want to exceed 60 days, apply for planning permission before you breach the limit. Operating without permission after exceeding 60 days can result in enforcement action.

Glamping compliance

Safety requirements for glamping

Glamping structures with electrical or gas installations trigger additional safety requirements:

• Use NICEIC or similarly registered electricians for all electrical work, and keep the installation certificates.
• Use Gas Safe registered engineers, and have gas appliances safety-checked every year.
• Provide suitable fire extinguishers, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, and clear exit routes.
• Check with Building Control whether building regulations apply to your structures.

Many glamping sites have been prosecuted following fires or carbon monoxide incidents. Keep installation certificates and test records in your site safety file.