Glamping and Holiday Let Planning Permission on Your Farm

Your land could earn from visitors. The council has to agree first.

Glamping, camping and holiday lets can add a steady income to a farm. The planning route depends on what you want to build and how long it stays.

Temporary campsites: the 60 day rule

In England, Class BC of Part 4 of the General Permitted Development Order lets you use land as a recreational campsite for up to 60 days in a calendar year without a planning application. The rules include:

• no more than 50 pitches, plus moveable structures needed for the campsite
• toilet and waste disposal facilities must be provided on site
• you must notify the council in writing before you open each year, with a site plan and your dates
• caravans are not allowed under this right, apart from motorhomes
• it does not apply on a site of special scientific interest, a scheduled monument or the site of a listed building
• in Flood Zones 2 and 3 you need prior approval first, with a flood risk assessment

The separate 28 day rule lets land be used for other temporary purposes. Read The 28 day rule for farm events.

Pods, huts and holiday lets

Glamping pods, shepherd's huts, lodges and permanent pitches that stay in place usually need full planning permission. Converting a farm building into a holiday let usually needs full planning too, so check the route before you commission drawings.

The council will look at access, landscape impact, how the business fits with the farm, and whether the site is a sensible place for visitors. It will weigh the scheme against its local plan and national policy on the rural economy.

Building the case

Strong tourism applications show how the business supports the farm, how guests will reach the site, and how the design sits in the landscape. Our farm diversification planning page covers the wider picture.

How Foxes Rural can help

We tell you plainly which route fits, from a 60 day campsite to a full holiday let scheme. Then we prepare the application and manage it with the council from start to finish.