Heritage consultants – working at castles

Planning Solutions Consulting Limited is an established consultancy specialising in research, business planning, visitor experience masterplanning, and investment development. We work across the heritage, culture, tourism and third sectors, with a particular focus on castles and historic monuments.

We understand the complex balance between creating successful visitor experiences, conserving historic assets, and achieving long-term financial sustainability. Our work is grounded in this understanding, and we have a strong track record of delivering strategic and commercially focused solutions for castle-based projects across the UK and Republic of Ireland.

Selected Project Experience

Scotland
Historic Environment Scotland – Urquhart Castle: Prepared a Monument and Community Support Strategy to strengthen community engagement and enhance the visitor experience.
Falkirk Council & Historic Environment Scotland – Blackness: Developed a Strategic Tourism Infrastructure Development Plan for the village of Blackness and its castle.
Historic Environment Scotland – Caerlaverock Castle: Prepared a Monument and Community Support Strategy focused on improving the visitor experience, building site resilience, and fostering stronger links with the local community and neighbouring attractions.

Wales
Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council – Margam Castle (Grade I listed): Conducted a market assessment, options appraisal and business case to support the regeneration of Margam Castle and its integration within Margam Country Park — helping to secure nearly £1m in National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF) funding.
Monmouthshire County Council – Caldicot Castle (Grade I listed): Delivered audience development and visitor management plans for the castle and country park, with subsequent advice on car parking and admissions.
Cadw – Caerphilly Castle: Working with Arad, prepared a 10-Year Commercial Masterplan that helped secure £10m in funding to transform the visitor offer, including the admissions experience.
Swansea Council & Friends of Oystermouth Castle – Oystermouth Castle: Working alongside conservation architects Hiraeth Architecture, we advised on visitor experience enhancement, education provision, commercial revenue development, and admissions.
Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority: Prepared business plans for three key visitor sites, including Carew Castle and Tidal Mill (Grade I listed), Oriel y Parc Gallery and Visitor Centre, and Castell Henllys Heritage Centre.
Pembrokeshire County Council – Haverfordwest Castle: Produced a feasibility study and development plan to transform Haverfordwest Castle and Governor’s House into a flagship heritage attraction. Subsequently supported a successful Levelling Up Fund application, securing over £17m.

Republic of Ireland
Blarney Castle and Gardens Estate: Delivered primary research among visitors and tour operators, and advised on opportunities to develop and enhance the overall visitor experience at one of Ireland’s leading heritage attractions.

England
Hastings Borough Council – Hastings Castle: Undertook primary research, stakeholder consultation, case study analysis and education sector review to inform the castle’s future development plans.
Sunderland City Council – Hylton Castle (Grade I listed): Prepared the original business plan for Hylton Castle, Chapel and Dene, working closely with the Friends of Hylton Dene and Castle.
Breathe Barbury CIC – Barbury Castle: Carried out a feasibility study for a proposed visitor and education centre at Barbury Castle, a scheduled hill fort within the North Wessex Downs National Landscape.

Working with Other Professionals

We regularly collaborate with conservation architects, heritage specialists, quantity surveyors, landscape architects and activity planners — drawing on our core team’s expertise and integrating specialist knowledge where needed to deliver the best outcomes for each project.

Added Value: Operational Experience

Through our sister company, Planning Solutions Limited (PSL), we bring over 30 years of direct, hands-on experience managing and developing visitor attractions and hospitality businesses across England. PSL currently operates:

– CONKERS – a 120-acre discovery experience, Leicestershire
– Kent Life – a heritage farm park, Kent
– Cotswold Country Park and Beach – an activity-based attraction, Gloucestershire
– Royal Esplanade Hotel (Grade II listed) – Isle of Wight
– The National Brewery Centre – a heritage attraction formerly known as the Bass Museum in Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire (reopened 2010, managed to October 2022)
– Burton Bridge Brewery – Staffordshire

This operational grounding gives us a distinctive edge. When advising clients, we draw on real-world experience of running visitor businesses — bringing commercial rigour, practical insight, and informed realism to every project we undertake.

Clients have said a few words about our work

“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