The Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority has introduced new rules to control the ‘impact of camping’ - which will come into effect from the start of 2026.

PCNPA has approved the introduction of an Article 4(1) Direction to remove permitted development rights for 28-day camping, caravan, and mobile home sites within the National Park.

The decision, made at the Authority’s meeting on Wednesday, May 7, marks an important step in managing the impact of unregulated temporary camping on the Park’s protected landscapes and ecosystems, PCNPA has stated.

The new measures follow comprehensive public consultation undertaken across 3 months in 2024 and in January and February 2025.

The proposals aimed to address range of concerns around the current situation including the visual impact on the landscape, threats to biodiversity, and pressure on local infrastructure, including problems such as noise, traffic congestion, and other disturbances from nearby temporary camping and caravan sites.

A clarification statement agreed in March 2024 confirms that the proposed restrictions will apply only to 28-day camping, caravan, and mobile home sites.

Other temporary 28-day uses involving development, such as temporary car parks, and mobile saunas will not be affected. Sites operating under exemption certificates or as part of exempted organisations will also be unaffected.

The statement further explains that camping or caravan use associated with other permitted temporary events such as weddings, festivals, filming, or agricultural shows will not require additional planning permission.

When deciding whether camping is ancillary to an event, the Authority will consider factors such as licensing, advertising, site usage proportions, and event duration. Introducing the Article 4 Direction will allow the Authority to require planning permission for temporary 28-day camping, caravan and mobile home sites, ensuring that their location and operation are carefully managed to protect the National Park’s unique environment.

The Article 4 Direction will come into effect on Wednesday, January 1, 2026. This will give landowners and site operators time to understand the new rules and submit any necessary planning applications ahead of the 2026 season.

These applications will not be subject to fees, and the Authority will prioritise them to reduce delays. A free pre-application service will also be applied to these proposals. Existing sites with planning permission or those operating under exemption certificates will not be affected.

In addition to the Article 4 Direction, the Authority will engage with exempted organisations to develop a voluntary Code of Conduct.

A spokesperson for PCNPA stated: “This initiative will help ensure that exempted sites continue to operate responsibly and in accordance with local and national policies, fostering a collaborative approach to safeguarding the National Park.”

PCNPA’s chief executive Tegryn Jones previously stated that there was ‘no control’ over temporary campsites and they took up 12% of the Authority's enforcement time.

He said that many pop-up campsites across the county had led to a ‘stream’ of complaints and that PCNPA were seeking to take a small measure to ‘even the playing field’.

Further details on the consultation can be found at www.pembrokeshirecoast.wales/public-consultations