National Park Consultants

Whilst rooted deeply in the natural and cultural heritage of an area, National Parks are increasingly forward-thinking in how they balance conservation with income generation, creating immersive visitor experiences that are accessible to a diverse range of audiences. Planning Solutions Consulting has worked on a number of National Park projects across England and Wales, from business plans through to interpretation audits, carrying out commercial assessments for visitor centres, and volunteer facilities reviews. Extensive work with conservation and not-for-profit organisations has given our team a deeper understanding of the challenges National Parks face, and we enjoy working closely with site teams to enhance both visitor experience and the wider landscape for people and wildlife.

Our statutory system of protected landscapes was first established in 1949, and since then, our society and the challenges it faces have changed hugely. National Park Authorities are addressing new challenges – climate change, biodiversity loss and increasing public health issues such as mental health and obesity. At the same time, our understanding of the value of the natural environment has vastly improved, particularly the public services it provides. National Park Authorities are also having to contend with regenerative tourism and managing visitor pressures through to Net Zero targets and low-carbon transport, green recovery, green social prescribing, green finance, and the economic and social well-being of local communities. All this is set in a context of falling core National Park Authorities grant support from DEFRA and pressures on other public body budgets.

Our Work

• Business plans for Pembrokeshire Coast National Park’s flagship sites: Working with the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority, we prepared business plans for three of its key visitor sites: Carew Castle and Tidal Mill (a Grade I-listed castle and the only restored tidal mill in Wales), Castell Henllys Iron Age Village (a reconstructed Iron Age hillfort and one of the most extensively excavated in Britain), and Oriel y Parc Visitor Centre and Gallery in St Davids.
• Interpretation audit, South Downs National Park: We carried out an interpretation audit on behalf of the South Downs National Park Authority, assessing the existing and potential interpretation resources across the landscape and evaluating how effectively they engaged visitors, with recommendations for improvement.
• Options appraisal and financial analysis, Walltown Country Park.  Working with Northumberland National Park Authority, we carried out an options appraisal to identify and evaluate opportunities to enhance the visitor experience at Walltown Country Park, the gateway to Hadrian’s Wall.   We also carried out a supporting financial analysis
• Volunteer property needs assessment, South Downs National Park: We carried out a volunteer property needs assessment for the Authority’s base in Queen Elizabeth Country Park, Hampshire, including office, depot/workshop, storage and car parking requirements, to help the Authority operate effectively across its Western Division.
• Seven Sisters Country Park business planning, South Downs National Park: We supported the South Downs National Park Authority’s Senior Management Team and Board in developing and validating the business case to secure preferred bidder status in the acquisition of Seven Sisters Country Park.
• Visitor-facing properties, Peak District National Park: We carried out a review of the Peak District National Park Authority’s visitor centres and bike hire operations with a focus on financial resilience and public engagement.
• New visitor centre feasibility study, Broads Authority: We carried out a feasibility study for a new visitor centre for the Broads Authority.
• Remodelling of a visitor centre:  Working with an architectural practice, we were commissioned to advise on the remodelling of the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park Authority’s visitor centre.

Find out more about our work with National Park Authorities.

Operational Experience

What truly sets us apart is that we don’t just consult. Our sister company, Planning Solutions Limited, directly operates a portfolio of established visitor sites, including:

• CONKERS, a 120-acre experience in Leicestershire
• Kent Life, a heritage farm park in Kent
• Cotswold Country Park and Beach, a popular activity and leisure destination in the Cotswolds
• National Brewery Centre, formerly known as the Bass Museum, managed the NBC between 2010 and 2022

This hands-on experience gives us an insider’s understanding of the financial pressures, operational realities and commercial drivers that determine whether a visitor site truly thrives — including many of the same challenges National Park Authorities face in balancing conservation, community and commercial priorities. We know what it takes to build sustainable, resilient visitor operations, not from the outside looking in, but from direct, day-to-day involvement.

Our operational experience translates directly into better consultancy advice. We bring:

• Live trading intelligence, real-time insight from actively managed businesses, not just desk research
• Commercial realism, we understand what works in practice, not just in theory
• Operational empathy, we know the pressures site teams and rangers face day to day
• Broader sector knowledge, spanning visitor attractions, heritage, outdoor experiences and tourist accommodation

The result for National Park clients is consultancy grounded in commercial realism, practical, honest, and shaped by genuine operating experience, not theory alone.

What Our Clients Say

“The Peak District National Park Authority commissioned Planning Solutions Consulting to undertake a review of its Visitor Centre operations in the face of financial challenges in early 2024. Working with staff across the organisation, Planning Solutions Consulting gained a comprehensive understanding of the operations which include the Authority’s four Visitor Centres and three Cycle Hire Centres. They engaged with a broad range of staff and stakeholders which enabled them to present back a summary of the effectiveness and performance of the centres before working with key Authority staff to develop proposals for how the centres can better engage with visitors to the National Park but also become financially sustainable. The proposals were presented back to senior Authority staff in a comprehensive report but also in person.

Planning Solutions Consulting brought a wealth of experience and a different perspective to the project, showed excellent understanding of the visitor tourism sector (which earned trust from the Centre staff) and managed the project well to achieve the timescales and outcomes demanded of them. As consultants they were professional, adaptable and a pleasure to work with throughout the project.” Matt Freestone, Corporate Property Manager, Peak District National Park Authority

Talk To Us About Your Project

Every National Park is different, and so is every project — whether that’s a business plan for a flagship heritage site, a feasibility study for a new visitor centre, an interpretation audit, or a review of volunteer facilities. If you’re planning a project and would like an initial conversation about how we could help, we’d be glad to talk it through with you.

Call Richard Linington on 07866 742628 or email richard@pslplan.co.uk, there’s no obligation, and it’s often easiest to start with a quick call to see where we can add the most value.