A temporary pop-up campsite at Scarside Farm in Bampton, near Penrith, is scheduled to operate this summer after local planners approved the proposal without conditions on May 21. The application, submitted by Tom and Lauren Blades, was registered on April 30 and outlines plans for a seasonal recreational campsite running from July 17 to September 13, 2026.
According to the application documents, the campsite will operate for 59 consecutive days and accommodate up to 15 grass pitches within a single field at the farm.
The layout has been designed to maintain wide spacing between pitches and follow the natural contours of the landscape. No permanent infrastructure, hardstanding, road widening, or new access routes are proposed as part of the temporary operation.
Vehicles will be parked adjacent to individual pitches using the farm’s existing entrance road. Temporary toilet and shower facilities will be installed above ground, alongside a sealed graywater holding tank.
The applicants stated that all infrastructure would be removed once the operating period ends, allowing the land to return to agricultural use.
Planning documents describe the campsite as intended to provide “quiet, low-density, nature-focused stays” while minimizing visual impact and protecting sensitive habitats.
According to the News & Star, the site plan also notes that the camping area has been positioned away from watercourses, wetlands, and species-rich meadow restoration zones. Lighting is expected to be minimal “if used at all” in an effort to preserve dark skies in the surrounding rural landscape.
In their submission, Tom and Lauren Blades said the project forms part of “a wider transition of the farm towards nature-led land management.” They added that the land would initially be managed for hay production as part of a longer-term effort to restore traditionally managed species-rich hay meadows and improve biodiversity across the holding.
Waste management arrangements were also included in the proposal. Toilet waste will be removed off-site by Fellside Loos, while graywater from showers and handwashing facilities will be stored in a sealed tank with no discharge into the ground, nearby watercourses, or soakaways.
For outdoor hospitality operators, the approval reflects a continuing trend toward low-impact, seasonal camping models that can diversify farm income while limiting permanent development in environmentally sensitive areas.
Temporary campsite applications tied to regenerative land management and biodiversity goals are becoming more common across rural destinations, particularly in protected landscapes where permanent tourism infrastructure may face stricter planning scrutiny.
The Scarside Farm proposal also highlights how operators are increasingly positioning small-scale camping experiences around low-density stays, dark-sky preservation, and nature-based tourism demand.