Class B – temporary use of land

Class B permits the temporary use of land for any purpose for up to 28 days in total in any calendar year, subject to the restrictions below. The land in question must not itself be a building or be within the curtilage of a building.

If you hold a market or motor car or motorcycle racing / practising you are limited to 14 days in any calendar year.

These days do not need to be consecutive and can be spread out over the calendar year as required. Class B also permits moveable structures for the purposes of the temporary use. Unlike Part 4 Class A, Class B does not contain an express condition requiring the land to be restored between each individual use, although structures and activities must still remain genuinely connected with the temporary use and within the annual day limits.

You cannot use land for camping under Class B unless the camping is in connection with a festival. For temporary recreational campsites, see Class BC, which provides a separate permitted development right subject to its own limits and conditions.

The permission allows for moveable structures for the purposes of the chosen use.

Note that any permitted development right might be affected by its effect on a European conservation area. This is defined under regulations 75 to 78 of the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017.  This includes SPA, SAC, RAMSAR locations. These will need to be approved by the local planning authority or LPA even if granted normally under the GPDO.

As a result areas in Nutrient Neutrality catchment areas might be prevented from permitted development rights for overnight accomodation.  This might affect camping in Class BC and/or camping for festivals under Class B of Part 4.

How do I apply for permission?

Where the proposal falls within Class B, planning permission is granted by the GPDO and there is no separate planning application or prior approval procedure. However, other legal requirements can still apply. For example, a market or car boot sale may require notice under Section 37 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982, depending on the arrangements adopted by the relevant council or London borough.

Are there any limitations?

There are a couple. Apart from it not being part of the curtilage of a building, it can’t be used as a caravan site (although certain rights do exist under Class A of Part 5, and our Caravans hub explains how the 28-day rule interacts with caravans) and if you are within a SSSI then you can’t hold car and bike racing, clay pigeon shooting or war games. Nor may you use it as a location for an advertisement.

A building is classed as any structure or erection, but does not include plant or machinery nor any fence, wall or other means of enclosure.

Land would be equal to a planning unit – therefore you can do this 28 days per planning unit. 

See this page for what is a planning unit.

Other Agricultural Sections

Legislation

Class B – temporary use of land

Permitted development

B. The use of any land for any purpose for not more than 28 days in total in any calendar year, of which not more than 14 days in total may be for the purposes of—

(a) the holding of a market;

(b) motor car and motorcycle racing including trials of speed, and practising for these activities,

and the provision on the land of any moveable structure for the purposes of the permitted use.

Development not permitted

B.1 Development is not permitted by Class B if—

(b) the land in question is a building or is within the curtilage of a building;

(c) the use of the land is for the siting of any caravan except a caravan which—
(i) is a motor vehicle designed or adapted for human habitation; and
(ii) is sited on the land in connection with a festival;

(d) the land is, or is within, a site of special scientific interest and the use of the land is for—
(i) motor car and motorcycle racing including trials of speed or other motor sports, and practising for these activities;
(ii) clay pigeon shooting; or
(iii) any war game;

(e) the use of the land is for the display of an advertisement; or

(f) the use of land is for camping, except when in connection with a festival.

Class B Temporary Use Of Land Page Updated: 22nd August 2026