Rural Solutions

What Rural Solutions does

Rural Solutions is a UK-based multi-disciplinary consultancy serving owners and managers of rural land, property, and estates. Founded in 1995 and headquartered in Skipton, North Yorkshire, the firm operates nationwide with a team of 45+ professionals across four integrated service lines: consulting, planning, architecture, and landscape design. Its core specialism is navigating the rural planning system, particularly Paragraph 84 (exceptional country homes) of the National Planning Policy Framework, and delivering award-winning contemporary rural buildings, sustainable design including Passivhaus and zero-carbon construction, and biodiversity net gain outcomes. Project categories span individual country homes, rural settlements, heritage restoration, countryside accommodation (glamping, lodges, hotels), estate-led housing, and business parks.

The firm earns revenue through project-based professional services fees, with engagements determined by scope, complexity, and duration. Pricing is bespoke and not publicly disclosed, with multi-year contracts typical for whole-estate planning and large-scale development pipelines. Distribution is direct, combining field-based enterprise sales to landowners and estates with a referral network spanning land agents, solicitors, and complementary architects. Marketing is concentrated in content (website, project case studies, Yorkshire Post columns), earned media (Grand Designs feature, RIBA and AJ award shortlistings), and event sponsorship (Future Countryside since 2023).

In December 2025, Rural Solutions was acquired by Celnor Group, becoming part of its built environment division. The firm holds Good Business Charter accreditation and is recognised through RIBA Yorkshire Award 2026 and Manser Medal 2025 finalist status. Customer concentration is anchored by long-tenured estate clients (e.g., Great Tew Estate, Castle Howard, Belsay, the Wilson family) alongside private individuals and rural businesses across the UK.

Name

Rural Solutions

Legal name

Rural Solutions Ltd

Website

https://ruralsolutions.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Acquired

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Rural Solutions is a UK-based multi-disciplinary consultancy providing consulting, planning, architecture, and landscape design services to rural landowners, estates, and UHNW individuals, specialising in Paragraph 84 exceptional country homes, sustainable design, and whole-estate strategy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Rural Planning and Development Consultancy

NAICS

Landscape Architectural Services (541320), Landscape Architectural Services (54132), Land Subdivision (23721)

SIC

Land Subdividers & Developers (No Cemeteries) (6552), Real Estate Agents & Managers (For Others) (6531)

akta.pro primary industry

Residential Land Development & Subdivision Homebuilding (Build-to-Sell Communities) (IMAFABAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Land & Rural Property Appraisal (BPAJAKAD), Landscape Construction Project Management & General Contracting (HSAIABAK), Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts) (BPAGALAC)

Keywords

• Rural planning consultancy
• Estate development services
• Rural architecture design
• Landscape architecture services
• Whole estate planning

Headquarters

HQ city

Skipton

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Professional Services - Project-Based Fees: Consultancy fees for strategy, planning, architecture, landscape design, and project management services delivered on a project basis. Services range from initial concept development through to planning consent and construction delivery.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Rural Solutions is a multi-disciplinary rural planning, architecture, landscape design, and consultancy firm that helps owners and managers of rural land, property, and estates in the UK realise their development ambitions. The firm delivers an integrated end-to-end service spanning strategy, planning, architecture, landscape design, and project management — from initial concept through to planning consent and construction delivery — with particular specialism in Paragraph 84 exceptional country homes, sustainable and net-zero building design, estate diversification, and rural tourism/leisure development.

Product overview

Rural Solutions is a multi-disciplinary consultancy offering four core services: Consulting, Planning, Architecture, and Landscape. The company helps owners and managers of rural land, property, and estates to realise their ambitions through planning, architectural, landscaping, and consultancy services. They work from initial ideas through to delivery of projects, offering strategy and concept development, feasibility and options appraisals, financial, operational, and business planning, and full planning, architectural and landscape design and project management services. Their specific project categories include rural settlements, heritage restoration, countryside accommodation (glamping/camping), estate-led housing, country hotels, eco education centres, business parks, and individual country homes delivered through Paragraph 84 planning routes.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Consulting Services Advisory services for owners and managers of rural land and property, helping them optimise the value of their assets to achieve strategic, development, and financial aims through feasibility studies, options appraisals, business planning, and stakeholder engagement.
• Planning Services
• Architecture Services
• Landscape Services
• Whole Estate Plans (WEP)

Quantifiable outcome

• Won RIBA Yorkshire Award 2026 for outstanding contemporary country home design
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• Celnor GroupmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2025Celnor Group has acquired Rural Solutions as part of its strategic growth plan. The acquisition expands Celnor's built environment division, adding Rural Solutions' planning, architectural, landscaping, and consultancy services capabilities. This follows Celnor's recent acquisition of Primary Water Solutions.
• Sadler Brown Architects-GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSadler Brown Architects-Group served as concept design and planning-stage architects on award-winning rural home projects. Collaborative relationship where Rural Solutions acts as delivery and technical design architect.
• Dobson ConstructioncoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerMain contractor for Rural Solutions' delivered projects including the award-winning contemporary country house. Partnership for construction delivery on rural development projects.
• Beckett Jackson Thompson ArchitectscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchitectural firm that invited Rural Solutions to support their clients in gaining planning approval for the Hen House project in Derbyshire. Rural Solutions provided planning consultancy services working alongside the architects.
• Future CountrysideminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRural Solutions is a sponsor of the Future Countryside event, which brings together voices from farming, conservation, business, and public life to explore challenges and opportunities facing the countryside. The company has supported the initiative since its launch in 2023.
• The Modern HouseminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProperty publication that featured the Fossil House project, showcasing Rural Solutions' work to a wider audience of potential clients seeking unique rural properties.
• The Nest GlampingminorOthersRural Solutions supported the delivery of luxury safari tent glamping accommodation in Lincolnshire as part of their countryside accommodation projects portfolio.
• The Mole ResortminorOthersRural Solutions supported the development of a new luxury lodge park in Devon as part of their countryside accommodation projects.
• Lakeland Leisure EstatesminorOthersRural Solutions delivered projects for Lakeland Leisure Estates including Tattenhall Marina and lodges at Long Ashes in the Yorkshire Dales.
• Petruth PaddocksminorOthersRural Solutions supported the development of 'free-range' camping at the foot of the Mendip Hills.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Mole Architects: UK architecture practice specialising in rural and coastal buildings, including RIBA-award-winning country homes. Comparable design-led rural architecture focus and target clientele.
• Bidwells: UK property consultancy with a dedicated rural and estates practice covering planning, architecture, and development advisory for landowners and estates. Directly comparable multi-disciplinary rural proposition.
• Carter Jonas: UK property consultancy with planning, architecture, and rural development services targeted at estates, landowners, and rural businesses. Closely comparable integrated rural services offering.
• Strutt & Parker: Long-established UK rural property consultancy (now part of BNP Paribas Real Estate) providing planning, estate management, and development advisory to landowners. Directly comparable rural focus and client base.
• Fisher German: UK rural and commercial property consultancy offering planning, development, and estate advisory. Comparable mid-sized integrated rural services firm serving landowners and estates.
• Galbraith: UK (Scotland-led) rural property consultancy with planning, architecture, and estate management services. Comparable multi-disciplinary rural offering, with regional overlap and overlap in estate client base.
• Brown & Co: UK property and business consultancy with planning, agency, and development services across rural, residential, and commercial sectors. Comparable integrated rural planning and development advisory model.
• Feilden Fowles: RIBA-award-winning UK architecture practice with strong rural and countryside portfolio. Comparable design credentials and award-winning rural architecture focus.

Broad incumbents

• Knight Frank: Global real estate consultancy with a UK country houses and rural property team covering sales, planning, and development advisory. Overlaps in UHNW rural clients but within a much wider portfolio of services.
• Savills: Global real estate advisory with a substantial UK rural and estates division covering planning, estate management, and development. Overlaps in client type but operates at significantly greater scale and across broader sectors.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/RuralSolutionsLtd
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rural-solutions-consulting-ltd
• Instagraminstagram.com/rural_solutions_ltd
• Xx.com/ruralsolutions_

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Rural Solutions