Country Parks Projects

Other projects

• Accommodation based
• Adventure Tourism
• Audience Development Plans
• Coastal regeneration
• Commercial leisure and property
• Country Parks

• Heritage
• Marketing
• Tourism strategies & spatial planning
• Urban regeneration
• Visitor attractions & experiences

Country Parks

Countryside Site, East Kent

Working with Kent County Council’s Country Parks team Planning Solutions Consulting carried out a market and options review to identify recreational development opportunities for an 11 acre countryside site in East Kent.

EnviroPark - Portsmouth & SE Hampshire Partnership

Working in a multi-disciplinary team PSCL carried out a visitor modelling exercise for an innovative country park style visitor experience, which incorporated a visitor centre, amphitheatre, trails and interpretation.  We also advised on product development options. PSCL also advised on the wider strategic issues and specific operational areas. Our work formed part of a BIG Lottery Bid.

Fowlmead Country Park, Kent

We carried out an extensive leisure options review and business appraisal for SEEDA and the Land Restoration Trust to introduce a new country park style leisure destination based on cycling and nature conservation. We also advised on governance and delivery options for this new visitor experience. Fowlmead Country Park is a 200-acre (80 hectare) park regenerated from the shale spoil tip of the former Betteshanger Colliery, funded as part of the National Coalfields Programme.  This £3.25m development (excluding infrastructure works) is focused on cycling and as a first stage of development a 3.2 km cycle track was introduced to help regenerate the former colliery spoil site. Since its opening in May 2007, Fowlmead has continued to develop as a safe off-road site for activities and leisure pursuits such as cycling (leisure, road, and mountain biking), running, orienteering, geocaching, archery, walking, bushcraft and fossil-collecting. There is also an abundance of wildlife to see within the park's natural habitats. Further mountain biking trails are being developed through the established woodland.   Our work also focused on the long term implications for site management and operating parameters to help create a sustainable product for the future. Fowlmead has been managed as a Country Park with related leisure and sporting activities by Intercrop Ltd on behalf of SEEDA.

Haywood Country Park, Hereford

Working for the South Wye Regeneration Partnership and the County of Herefordshire District Council we carried out a feasibility study for the proposed Haywood Country Park. Our work included carrying out a market assessment, examining case examples, setting out the product mix, carrying out a penetration rate analysis and preparing a financial model.

Lepe Country Park, Hampshire

Lepe Country Park is a coastal country park, located within the New Forest National Park. Lepe is an important recreational and education resource managed by Hampshire County Council.  The country park faces a number of challenges including rising sea levels and built visitor facilities which are reaching the end of their design life.  Working with Hampshire County Council we prepared a Development Strategy for the country park, which included a site assessment, market review, consultation exercise, options appraisal and business appraisal of the preferred option.  Latterly working with the architectural team we advised on design / operational considerations for a community engagement strategy as part of a Coastal Pathfinder project.

Manor Farm Country Park, Hampshire

Manor Farm Country Park, Hampshire Manor Farm Country Park near Botley provides a living history visitor attraction which helps to conserve a farmstead of historic buildings, together with 400 acres of countryside. The country park incorporates a working farm attraction (with café and retail areas) based on a historic farmstead which reflects the development of Hampshire farming over the past five hundred years. It includes a Victorian schoolroom, wheelwright's shop, blacksmith's forge and 13th century church. The park is a mix of woodland, riverside and open space - the varied landscape of the park supports an abundance of wildlife, with a diversity of habitat in such a relatively compact area. The majority of the park is a mixture of arable farmland, grassland and ancient semi-natural woodland and open space. It has a direct frontage onto the River Hamble. Our work focused on identifying opportunities to increase visitor numbers and generate additional revenue to support the park’s operation.

Pooley Country Park and Heritage Centre

PSCL carried out an operational options review to identify new products to increase visitor numbers and awareness of the country park. We also advised on the most appropriate management structure for this country park in the Midlands.   Located on the former Pooley Hall Colliery site, the heritage centre provides an insight into mining history and sustainable energy generation. The 62.5 hectare site, one third of which is a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest, contains several pools caused by mining subsidence, woodland habitats and is situated on the Coventry Canal.  A new play area was opened in 2006, thanks to funding from Landfill Tax Credits, the Market Towns Initiative and Advantage West Midlands. Power to the heritage centre is supplied from a "hybrid" system of wind and solar energy (backed up by the National Grid). A 6kW Proven wind generator and 10 x 710 W photovoltaic panels provide much of the power needed to run the Centre. The toilets have a waterless system supplied by a Warwickshire company. Under the ownership of Warwickshire County Council since 1999 management group partners include the Homes and Communities Agency, Warwickshire County Council (Countryside & Recreation and County Arts) and North Warwickshire Borough Council.

Queen Elizabeth, Hampshire

Queen Elizabeth Country Park is Hampshire County Council’s largest multi-use country park. It is managed in partnership with the Forestry Commission and offers a significant range of visitor facilities covering some 2,100 acres. Queen Elizabeth Country Park attracts some 300,000 visits per annum and is located13 miles to the north of Portsmouth and 4 miles to the south of Petersfield bisected by the A3. The main hub of facilities include a Visitor Centre (with small theatre), café and Retail area (which helps to promote local produce). There are also toilets, a kiosk and BBQ areas In terms of the external areas there is a considerable range of activities available for guests (individuals, family groups and special interest visitors) including a comprehensive network of trails (including footpaths, mountain biking trails, horse riding trails, adventure play trail, orienteering trail as well as the South Downs Way and other long distance paths which cross the site) and a forest drive. There is also significant archaeological interest (Bronze Age and Roman) Our work focused on identifying opportunities to generate additional revenue to and to explore opportunities for introducing new and innovative forms of visitor facilities including education resources and visitor accommodation.

Staunton Country Park, Hampshire

Staunton Country Park is located on the northern edge of Havant, within a semi urban / sub-urban environment, which is approximately 8 miles to the north east of Portsmouth. Staunton Country Park is a significant community resource serving principally a local market, located close to the Leigh Park area, a very large residential estate which has a high index of social deprivation. The northern site (Leigh Park Gardens) is approximately 800 acres and a further 200 acres of Forestry Commission land are adjacent to this site. Staunton Country Park is a large scale operation with a significant range of visitor facilities combining both free to access and paid for areas. The site itself is ‘split’ into two main elements – the southern sector is the main ‘centre of activity’ in terms of paid usage and facilities. The northern sector is free to enter and is mainly woodland and open meadows. Areas within this part of the site are designated as SINCs Facilities on offer include a visitor centre, ornamental farm and lake. The Victorian Coach House includes cycle hire, an information point and café and children’s play. There are many additional features and points of interest including a walled garden, an iconic temple, glasshouses (with exotic tropical plants) and a sensory garden and maze. The country park hosts a number of events (including major summer music weekends in August). Meetings and conference facilities are also available. The paid for element of the country park and Leigh Park Gardens generate a significant level of throughput. There is also angling club and a limited number of ‘survival’ type courses. Our work focused on ways to secure the long term future of the country park and explored opportunities for new development in certain zones.

Wat Tyler Country Park

We completed an Audience Development Plan for Wat Tyler Country Park in support of a Heritage Lottery Fund grant application. Our work involved carrying out a market assessment (including primary research), identifying barriers which discouraged visitors and suggesting ways to increase visitor levels.