We know it can be daunting to take a risk on a new diversification project. Watch the videos below and hear first-hand experiences of starting and managing a farm campsite with Pitchup.com:
Pitchup Webinar – Spring 2026
Pitch Up hosted a webinar for FCN Staff and Volunteers with lots of detail about how farmers and landowners can benefit from opening up their farms for camping, glamping and caravanning as a member of Pitchup. The session answered many FAQs.
Pitchup april 26.mp4
“The campsite is open in our quieter times, so it complements the farm well. A lot of visitors walked down into the village and spent money there, so the wider community benefited from the campsite. If you’re looking at ways of diversifying your revenue stream, a temporary campsite is probably the quickest, easiest and least disruptive way of doing that.”
Girt Down Farm, Devon
“It was nice having people around the farm. A lot of them took a great interest in the working farm, asking us about what we did and how, and learning more about it, which was great to see. Everyone seemed to respect we are a working farm so didn’t go beyond the cordon, which meant the campsite didn’t have any real impact on our day-to-day farming life.”
Hundred Acres Farm, West Sussex
Do I need planning permission for a campsite?
- In England, you can open a temporary campsite under permitted development rights (PDR) for up to 60 days per year for up to 50 units (tents, motorhomes or campervans).
- In Wales, the rules will soon be changing to allow 60 days in unlimited tents, motorhomes or campervans. Currently under PDR, you can open a temporary campsite for up to 28 days. For more information on the forthcoming rules, read the article in the Pembrokeshire Herald.
- In Scotland and Northern Ireland, tent campsites can open for 28 days per year under PDR.
There are, however, alternatives to PDR which you should consider:
- Either you can apply for full planning permission
- Or you can join an exempt organisation
- Or there are other small-scale exemptions
More information: https://www.pitchup.com/how-start-campsite-caravan-park/#PermittedDevelopment
FAQs: https://www.pitchup.com/how-start-campsite-caravan-park/#FAQs