Offering camping in the UK: Campsite toilets and showers

Do I need to provide toilets at my Hipcamp?

All campsites listed on Hipcamp must have access to a toilet, whether provided by the Host or the Hipcamper. If the Host provides a toilet, it must be onsite with unrestricted access. You can read more about our toilet policy here.

If you are starting a Hipcamp which operates for several months of the year, it is likely you will be applying for planning permission and a campsite licence. Your licence will likely stipulate the number of toilets and showers you will need to provide. Most local authorities use campsite model standards as the basis for this. These spell out what hosts should be providing as a minimum and state that, for sites of up to 120 pitches, there should be:

• Two toilets and two handbasins for women for every 30 pitches, or part thereof;
• One toilet, one urinal and two handbasins for men for every 30 pitches, or part thereof.

The phrase “or part thereof” is taken from the campsite model standards document and leaves a bit of a grey area. It might mean that for up to 15 pitches a single toilet and sink for women and another for men is acceptable—but, in practical terms, for a Hipcamp of that size (which might realistically be accommodating 60 people at any one time) more than two toilets would be much better. Nonetheless, it forms a good starting point for thinking about the minimum facilities you need to provide on a campsite.

If you choose to operate your Hipcamp with an exemption, instead of a licence (as part of The Camping and Caravanning Club or The Greener Camping Club, for example) the certificating organisation may have their own standards that they expect you to adhere to. But, as The Greener Camping Club recognises in its own advice documentation, the more toilets you provide—the better the experience for your Hipcampers. No one wants to have to queue for the loo so we would advise going above the minimum recommended standards if budget and space allows. The same advice is relevant if you operate a temporary or pop-up campsite, using 28-day or 60-day permitted development rights. Under the 28-day rule (which will cease to be an option after July 25, 2024), there is nothing in law to stipulate that you need to provide toilets at all. Under the 60-day rule (introduced in England from July 26th, 2023) you are legally obliged to provide toilets but the numbers are not stipulated in the legislation. In either case, following at least the minimum standards and trying to minimise queueing will help keep campers happy.

Different sorts of campsite toilets

The type of toilets you provide on your Hipcamp is likely to depend on the type of campsite you are running. Unless you have a toilet facility already in place, if you are running a temporary campsite, you will need to provide your toilet facilities (and indeed any other facilities) in temporary, moveable structures to operate within the law. This means that portable toilets, the kind you see at festivals and events, are ideal. These days, portable toilets can be chemical portable loos, posher event-style toilet trailers, or eco-friendly composting ones. As long as they can be moved off site after your permitted number of days, they are suitable.

If you want more than temporary toilets (a sensible choice if you want to run your Hipcamp for longer periods of time) you are faced with a choice between flushing toilets, which connect to mains sewerage, a treatment plant or tank, and composting loos. Hipcampers are divided on which they prefer—and you may also have your own opinion. The site you are using for your Hipcamp may also mean your choices are limited.

Flushing loos on a campsite

Building a traditional toilet block and doing the ground works to connect to mains sewers or to install a sewage treatment plant or tank will require planning permission and needs to meet British Standards. In many rural areas there is no mains sewerage, so this may not be an option for you. If you rely on a septic tank with a soakaway or a cess pit (closed tank) you may have to get it pumped out to keep it in working order—this has to be done by specialist companies.

Whether you are on mains sewerage or have a tank or cesspit, one of the advantages of these type of toilets is that, while you have costs associated with the installation and on-going treatment of waste, it is usually a fairly hands-off approach for staff and Hipcamp hosts. You will, of course, have to clean the loos and deal with the occasional blocked toilet but otherwise the installation and the removal of waste has to be dealt with by people who are qualified and licensed to do so. Another advantage, of course, is that these toilets are the norm in homes across the UK—so will be familiar to Hipcampers. For some people, the alternative, composting loos, have a “yuck factor” as Hipcampers are simply not used to them.

Composting loos on campsites

These days many campsites opt for composting toilets, which typically involve a greater degree of hands-on maintenance than flushing toilets. They are a sustainable, eco-friendly option that require no water and create a far smaller volume of waste, which is broken down by biological processes. If they are contained within small cubicles or in moveable structures these may not need planning permission. In addition, if you are producing only small amounts of waste, you may be able to compost the waste on site yourself according to the Environment Agency’s Low Risk Waste Position. We would, however, strongly advise you to contact the Environment Agency and your local authority to ensure that the way you propose to deal with human waste is appropriate for your Hipcamp and land. There are a growing number of companies who manufacture composting toilets although you may prefer to build your own.

Do I need to provide showers at my campsite?

If you are starting a campsite, showers are among the facilities you ought to consider providing for your Hipcampers. If you are operating with a campsite licence, the number of showers may well be stipulated as a condition and, as with toilets, you can use model guidelines for campsites to estimate how many the licence-issuing authority is likely to suggest you need. According to that guidance they should be provided at a rate of two showers for men and two showers for women per 60 pitches.

Smaller sites with fewer than 60 pitches, which include most Hipcamps, are not under obligation to have showers on site—in fact Hipcamp features plenty of back-to-basics sites with minimal facilities; just toilets and drinking water. However, lots of campers like to have the chance to shower when on site and access to a shower can encourage longer stays.

Just as with toilets, if you do not have existing facilities on your site, you will have to look to bring these in or build them. If you are operating a temporary campsite without planning permission, you will only be able to accommodate showers in a moveable structure. If you are opening a campsite for a longer period and operating with a licence and planning permission, you may also need to get planning permission for a more permanent facilities block and any associated drainage work.

Some ready-made toilet and shower options in the UK:

• Wintech – Modular buildings for temporary or permanent facilities with flushing loos
• Shower Shack – Moveable cubicles for composting or flushing loos as well as showers
• Arch Leisure – Moveable facilities blocks
• Woo Woo Waterless Loos – Waterless toilets to fit into own builds or individual cubicles
• Excloosive – Portable toilets to hire; chemical loos,event style and composting toilets
• Simploo – Modern-design waterless toilets for installation in own builds
• AndyLoos – Portable toilet hire
• Camping Cabins – Timber washroom cabins

This article was created by the Hipcamp team based on our years of experience, research, and local understanding. However, please note that this is still only our interpretation of UK regulations and does not constitute legal advice. Hipcamp does not accept responsibility for errors and omissions. Different conditions may apply depending on your individual circumstances and we recommend seeking professional advice on implementing the rules.

This article was first published on 18th March 2023.