The Lake District National Park Authority has voted to begin a public consultation on removing the planning rights that let landowners set up temporary “pop-up” campsites without applying for planning permission. If the authority goes ahead, an Article 4 direction would mean these sites need a planning application. The vote was taken at the authority’s meeting on 30 September 2026, and no direction is in force yet.

This is one of several England stories in our National Parks & Nature Reserves coverage.

How temporary campsites work now

Government planning rules allow temporary recreational campsites of up to 50 pitches to operate for up to 60 days a year without a planning application, according to the Lake District National Park Authority’s own planning guidance. The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) reports that operators in the park can in some cases get started simply by notifying the planning authority, in some cases by sending a single email.

LDRS reports that the authority received 47 notifications for temporary campsites over the calendar year, and that the majority are likely to have gone ahead.

Why the authority is acting

Andrew Smith, the authority’s head of development management, told the meeting that around 18 million visits a year, sites of national and international importance and a rural road network create a high risk of unacceptable harm from temporary campsites, which he said justified an Article 4 direction, as reported by LDRS.

Leanne Parr, speaking for Friends of the Lake District, said some sites have adverse effects on communities, nature and the landscape, and that nearby residents had raised concerns about noise, disturbance, traffic and pollution. Sarah Wilson, a member of the public, also spoke in favour, arguing that scrutiny helps put well-run campsites in the right places.

Members also acknowledged the other side. Mark Kidd said temporary sites provide a service people want and tend to be cheaper than formal campsites, while accepting that traffic and other amenity impacts matter.

What happens next

Planners recommended going to public consultation on an Article 4 direction, and members backed that step. If powers are later brought in, existing temporary campsites would have to submit planning applications. Mr Smith said that would bring extra costs, including several supporting reports, and that he would be surprised if every operator chose to apply.

Authority chair Jim Jackson said officers had been asked to urgently review the scale and impact of temporary campsites after a volume of correspondence over the summer. The chair also suggested any Article 4 direction would come with a proposal to let good campsites continue. A local development order, which could grant some permitted development rights, though not necessarily the same ones, was discussed as one way to do that.

Mr Smith told members the decision could be open to judicial review. A motion to postpone the decision until December failed after no one seconded it.

What it means for campers

No Article 4 direction has been made yet, so the rules described above are the ones currently reported as applying. If you are booking a pop-up site this season, it is worth checking it has proper toilet and waste facilities and a safe way in and out. Established campsites remain an option throughout the park.

Sources

Reporting by Zach Harrison for the Local Democracy Reporting Service, published by BBC News on 2 October 2026. Rules on 60-day, 50-pitch temporary campsites from the Lake District National Park Authority planning guidance.