Heritage consultancy
We don’t just advise. We’ve done it ourselves.
Planning Solutions Consulting are specialist heritage consultants who combine deep sector knowledge with hands-on operational experience. We help heritage organisations build commercial sustainability — without losing sight of what makes their sites special places to visit. Heritage sites and organisations are facing a number of challenges, particularly in terms of cuts to sector funding, rising costs, challenging market conditions and climate change.
What sets us apart
Our sister company, Planning Solutions Limited, operates a number of — visitor experiences including Kent Life Heritage Farm, CONKERS Discovery Centre, Cotswold Country Park & Beach, and between 2010 and 2022 the National Brewery Centre (formerly the Bass Museum). They also manage the Burton Bridge Brewery and a 70 bed Grade II listed hotel. This isn’t desk-based research. It’s first-hand knowledge of what it takes to run a sustainable business.
Heritage consultancy built around your needs
We work with heritage organisations across the UK and the Republic of Ireland to navigate funding challenges, rising operational costs, and an increasingly competitive visitor market. Our advice is always commercially grounded and conservation-sensitive — because we understand that balance matters.
01 — Business planning & strategy
Robust financial analysis to underpin funding applications and shape long-term project strategy. We provide advice on governance options, carry out market assessments, identify business risks and develop supporting staffing models.
02 — Operational reviews
We identify practical opportunities to generate additional earned income and improve operational efficiency.
03 — Visitor experience & masterplanning
Strategic development and heritage masterplans that respond to changing market trends and audience expectations. We help clients create compelling visitor experiences that increase footfall and long-term engagement.
Research-led
Our work is underpinned by thorough research — from on-site audience analysis through to analysis of financial performance. Through benchmarking we explore what’s working elsewhere and what’s changing, alongside reviewing key market and economic trends so our recommendations are always grounded in current market reality.
We also believe deeply in the value of stakeholder engagement. We work closely with management teams, staff, volunteers, other stakeholders and host communities to build genuine understanding and organisational buy-in. We have found strategies can readily fail without involving a range of stakeholders and other interested parties.
Heritage organisations face a particular challenge: the need to become more commercial without compromising the qualities that make their sites special places to visit. We navigate that tension, and it sits at the heart of the projects we work on.
We regularly collaborate with conservation architects, quantity surveyors, landscape architects, and activity planners — bringing together the right combination of expertise for each project.
Projects – a established track record
- Blarney Castle & Garden – research and visitor experience masterplanning advice
- Buster Ancient Farm – feasibility study assessing future opportunities
- Caldicot Castle – visitor management planning
- Caerlaverock Castle – prepared a Support Strategy
- Caerphilly Castle – masterplanning and supporting business case
- Cambridge Museum of Technology – business resilience planning
- Cefn Coed Colliery Museum – masterplanning and supporting business case
- Ditherington Flax Mill – business planning
- Forty Hall Estate – business development planning
- Haverfordwest Castle – development planning and supporting business case, helping to secure funding from the Levelling Up Fund
- Hylton Dene Castle – business planning
- Marble Arch – feasibility study
- Pleasley Pit – feasibility study and latterly the business case
- Urquhart Castle – Monument and Community Support Strategy
Client testimonial
“Pembrokeshire County Council, in conjunction with a partnership of public, private and third sector organisations, procured PSC to develop a robust feasibility study assessing the potential of Haverfordwest Castle to become a flagship heritage attraction. This was a complex study with a range of professionals involved and PSC managed all the various different subcontractors very effectively throughout the process.
The study itself includes some of the most defendable revenue business planning assumptions that I have seen in studies of this nature. Oftentimes, consultants can be somewhat overoptimistic in their financial assumptions in order to give clients what they want. Such assumptions can then come back to haunt the organisations that went on to deliver projects which ultimately were not financially viable. In this case, I am confident that the figures provided are realistic and achievable. PSC were always professional, quick to respond and willing to make changes to drafts, some of which were quite significant.” Mike Cavanagh, Head of Cultural, Leisure, Tourism and Registration Services Pembrokeshire County Council
Contact
Whether you’re developing a funding bid, planning a major capital project, or looking for a fresh perspective on your operation — we’d love to hear from you. Initial conversations are always welcome, with no obligation.
We work with heritage organisations of all sizes, from small independent trusts to local authorities and national organisations.
Richard Linington — Heritage Consultancy Lead and Director – 07866 742628 richard@pslplan.co.uk