Could New Planning Rules Force Festivals Out of Wales? Organisers Sound the Alarm
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Alright, festival lovers, this one’s a bit worrying. Could strict new planning rules in Wales spell disaster for festivals with pop-up campsites? Some organisers say yes—and they might even be forced to move their events to England.
What’s Happening?
Festival organisers in Pembrokeshire Coast National Park are fighting back against proposed planning changes that could make it much harder to run temporary campsites—something many festivals rely on.
Right now, landowners in Wales can host pop-up campsites for up to 28 days a year without needing planning permission. But if this new rule goes ahead, they’ll have to apply for official permission, adding time, paperwork, and uncertainty to the process.
The Big Retreat Festival
That’s bad news for events like The Big Retreat, a four-day wellbeing festival in Lawrenny. Organiser Amber Lort-Phillips says the festival, which brings in £1 million to the local economy, simply won’t survive without its pop-up campsite.
“We couldn’t run without our permitted development,” she explained. “The impact is we might have to move it. It’s our home for The Big Retreat, and it’s not fair.”
And she’s not the only one worried. Joe Worley, who runs Westival in Manorbier, said he hadn’t even been consulted about the changes. With 2,500 visitors heading to his festival each June, losing the ability to set up a campsite could force his entire event to relocate.
“It came as a big shock,” he said. “If we couldn’t get planning permission, we’d have to move. It feels quite damaging to a lot of businesses.”
Why the Change?
So, why is the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority pushing for these restrictions?
Chief Executive Tegryn Jones says that temporary campsites are a problem—taking up 12% of the park’s enforcement time and leading to complaints about noise, waste, and environmental impact.
“There’s no control over pop-up campsites,” he said. “We’re just trying to level the playing field.”
Local campsite owners like Ben Carden of the Woodlands Champions Club support the move, arguing that pop-up sites sometimes lack proper facilities.
“I visited a site with over 200 pitches, but only three toilets and one washbasin,” he pointed out. “There needs to be a standard of camping.”
Fair point—but festival organisers argue that a blanket approach like this could force out responsible, well-run events.
The Bigger Picture
While Pembrokeshire is cracking down, the rest of Wales isn’t following suit just yet. In fact, the Welsh Government is considering extending the temporary campsite period beyond 28 days, like in England, where it’s 60 days.
Pembrokeshire’s move is unusual—only one other place in Wales has similar rules, and that’s Gower, which introduced tighter restrictions way back in 1977.
Local landowner Dai Williams, who set up a temporary campsite near Druidstone in 2021, thinks the whole thing is an overreaction to the post-Covid tourism boom.
“Visitors loved it, and it brought extra income to the area,” he said. “These rules might shut down businesses for no real reason.”
What’s Next?
The final decision is expected in the spring, with changes set to come into force on January 1, 2026. But festival organisers aren’t backing down yet.
There’s still time to have your say—a further consultation is open until 21 February. If you care about keeping festivals in Wales, now’s the time to speak up.
Because let’s be real—it wouldn’t be a proper festival without a tent, a dodgy air mattress, and that classic 3am walk to the loos, would it?
