Planning Solutions Consulting

What Planning Solutions Consulting does

Planning Solutions Consulting (PSC) is a UK-based specialist consultancy founded in 1995 and headquartered in Havant, Hampshire, delivering tourism, heritage, and visitor experience advisory services across the British Isles. The firm provides business planning, feasibility studies, visitor experience masterplanning, operational reviews, market assessments, National Lottery Heritage Fund application support, and income generation strategy development. Its client base is concentrated in the public and nonprofit heritage sector, including English Heritage, Forestry England, Historic Environment Scotland, National Trust for Scotland, the RSPB, the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, and numerous UK local authorities managing country parks and museums, alongside private-sector clients such as Forest Holidays.

PSC differentiates itself through a sister-company relationship with Planning Solutions Limited (PSL), an operational operator that actively manages visitor attractions including Conkers, Kent Life Heritage Park, Cotswold Country Park and Beach, The Royal Esplanade Hotel, and Burton Bridge Brewery. This gives PSC's consultants direct practitioner exposure to the financial and operational challenges facing heritage attractions, distinguishing the firm from purely theoretical advisory competitors. Engagements are project-based and typically commissioned via competitive procurement or referral, with pricing negotiated per project and billed against multi-year contracts; no standardized rate card is publicly disclosed.

The firm employs 1-10 staff and operates with a small, partner-led model, scaling capacity for larger masterplans through a network of collaborating landscape architects, quantity surveyors, ecologists, and specialist heritage consultancies. Geographic reach spans England, Scotland, Wales, and the Republic of Ireland, with a notable international engagement on the £1 billion New National Cultural District in Kuwait. The company is privately held with no disclosed external funding and generates revenue solely through professional services fees.

Name

Planning Solutions Consulting

Legal name

Planning Solutions Consulting Limited

Website

https://pslplan.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Planning Solutions Consulting is a UK-based specialist consultancy, founded in 1995, that delivers tourism, heritage, and visitor experience advisory services — including business planning, feasibility studies, and masterplanning — to public-sector heritage bodies, local authorities, and private tourism operators across the British Isles.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Tourism and Heritage Consultancy Services

NAICS

Management Consulting Services (54161), Other Management Consulting Services (541618)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Management Services (8741)

akta.pro primary industry

Strategy & Corporate Development Consulting (BPAHACAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Operations & Process Improvement Consulting (BPAHACAB)

Keywords

• Tourism consultancy
• Heritage consulting
• Visitor experience planning
• Business planning services
• Visitor attraction consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Havant

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Professional Services Consultancy: Project-based consultancy fees for business planning, feasibility studies, operational reviews, visitor experience masterplanning, and strategic advisory services. Engagements are typically discrete projects commissioned by government bodies, heritage organizations, and tourism businesses.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Planning Solutions Consulting is a specialist tourism and visitor experience consultancy offering market assessments, business planning, operational reviews, visitor experience masterplanning, and strategic advisory services for heritage sites, visitor attractions, country parks, nature reserves, museums, and tourism accommodation developments across the UK. The firm operates alongside its sister company Planning Solutions Limited (PSL), which manages real visitor attractions and tourism businesses, providing hands-on operational insight that informs the consultancy's advice.

Product overview

Planning Solutions Consulting is a specialist tourism and visitor experience consultancy offering a comprehensive suite of consultancy services. Their core offerings include Tourism and Visitor Experience Consultancy Services, Business Planning Services, Operational Reviews and Business Resilience Planning, Visitor Experience Masterplanning, National Lottery Heritage Fund Business Planning, Visitor Accommodation Planning, Museum Consultancy Services, and Nature Reserve and Environmental Projects. These services are delivered across six core areas: Market Reviews, Consultation and Engagement, Strategic Development Planning, Business Planning and Financial Analysis, Destination Development, and Visitor Management Planning. The company works with clients across heritage sites, country parks, castles, museums, nature reserves, coastal destinations, and tourism accommodation developments throughout the UK and Republic of Ireland.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Tourism and Visitor Experience Consultancy Services Comprehensive consultancy services covering market reviews, consultation and engagement, strategic development planning, business planning and financial analysis, destination development, and visitor management planning for tourism and heritage sites across the UK.
• Visitor Attraction Business Planning Services Independent, evidence-based business planning including baseline analysis, market assessments, benchmarking, strategic analysis, governance and delivery planning, staffing structures, detailed financial appraisal with sensitivity analysis, risk assessment, and monitoring and evaluation frameworks for visitor attractions and tourism businesses.
• Operational Reviews and Business Resilience Planning Enhancing the performance of existing visitor sites through reviewing operating processes, deepening audience engagement, and developing sustainable income-generating strategies to build business resilience.
• Visitor Experience Masterplanning Developing visitor experience masterplans for sites including visitor attractions, heritage properties, castles, nature reserves, country parks, forests and coastal destinations, combining site context analysis, market trends, stakeholder consultation, and options appraisals.
• National Lottery Heritage Fund Business Planning Specialist business planning consultancy for National Lottery Heritage Fund projects including operational reviews, market assessments, competitive analysis, audience research, option appraisals, governance advice, visitor modelling, forecast trading profiles, marketing plans, risk assessments and evaluation frameworks.
• Visitor Accommodation Planning Expert consultancy for the self-catering sector including camping, lodges and innovative holiday units, working on new development projects often as part of mixed use schemes, with roots established when the founders were part of the Rank Group introducing Warner Heritage Hotels.
• Museum Consultancy Services Specialist services for museums focusing on business planning, income generation, assessing commercial opportunities, and market review to create financial resilience and sustainable development in today's challenging economic environment.
• Nature Reserve and Environmental Projects Consultancy Business plans, visitor research programmes, income generation strategies, and strategic development opportunities for nature reserves and wildlife tourism projects managed by conservation organisations and wildlife trusts.

Quantifiable outcome

• Supported Haverfordwest Castle Levelling Up Fund bid that secured £17.7 million in funding
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

25 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Planning Solutions Limited (PSL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPSL is the sister company of PSC and provides direct operational experience that underpins PSC's consultancy offerings. PSL manages visitor attractions including Conkers (120-acre woodland discovery centre), Kent Life Heritage Park (Maidstone), Cotswold Country Park and Beach, The Royal Esplanade Hotel (70-bed hotel on Isle of Wight), Burton Bridge Brewery, and formerly the National Brewery Centre (2010-2022). This hands-on operational experience informs PSC's strategic advisory work.
• The Environment PartnershipminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLandscape and environmental consultancy collaborated with on Country Parks' Strategy projects for Swindon Borough Council (Barbury Castle, Lydiard Country Park, Mouldon Hill Country Park).
• Chris Blandford AssociatesminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCollaborated on Brooklands Park Masterplan project with Adur & Worthing Councils, providing market assessment and commercial review expertise.
• The Tourism CompanyminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerWorked alongside The Tourism Company to prepare HLF Business Plan for Houghton Hall Park project, securing over £X million in lottery funding.
• Landscape Architects, Ecologists, Quantity Surveyors, ArchitectsminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerRegular collaboration with specialist professionals including landscape architects, ecologists, quantity surveyors, and architects for multidisciplinary masterplanning and development projects.
• Arad ResearchminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCollaborated with Arad Research on tourism and commercial masterplan for Caerphilly Castle for client Cadw.
• Nick Stead (Heritage Consultant)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartnered with Nick Stead heritage consultant on St Albans Cathedral Heritage Lottery Fund business planning.
• Resources for ChangeminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerWorked with Resources for Change to complete Heritage Lottery Fund Audience Development plan for River Lambourn Urban Restoration Project.
• HSD (Project Partner)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerWorked with HSD on operational management considerations for the £1 billion New National Cultural District in Kuwait project.
• Sheikh Abdullah Al Salem Cultural CentreminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPart of the Kuwait National Cultural District project incorporating Sheikh Abdullah Al Salem Cultural Centre.
• Blue Sail Tourism ConsultancyminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCollaborated with Blue Sail tourism consultancy on Strategic Tourism Infrastructure Development Plan for Blackness with Historic Environment Scotland and Falkirk Council.
• Hiraeth ArchitectureminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerWorking with Hiraeth Architecture on Oystermouth Castle feasibility study for client City and County of Swansea.
• Marks Barfield ArchitectsminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCollaborated with Marks Barfield Architects on Hayling Island seafront destination masterplan.
• Terra Firma Landscape ArchitectsminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerWorked with Terra Firma Landscape Architects on Fort Road Recreation Ground masterplan for Lewes District Council.
• Holland HeritageminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLed multi-disciplinary team including Holland Heritage on Golden Grove and Gelli Aur Country Park feasibility study.
• McQuitty Landscape DesignminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPart of team with Holland Heritage on Golden Grove feasibility study.
• Mildred Howells (Quantity Surveyor)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerWorked alongside specialist quantity surveyor Mildred Howells on former Pithead Baths options appraisal.
• Rawlins and Madley (Surveyors)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSpecialist residential surveyors collaborated with on Pithead Baths options appraisal project.
• Pritchard ArchitectureminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerWorked alongside conservation architects Pritchard Architecture on 22 heritage assets for Southampton City Council.
• Davies Sutton ArchitectsminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerHeritage management consultancy partnership with Davies Sutton Architects on The British Site options appraisal for Torfaen County Borough Council.
• TEP (Multi-disciplinary Team)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLed by TEP, PSC was commissioned to produce National Lottery Heritage Fund business plan for Longford Park (Trafford Council).
• Cushman WakefieldminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCommissioned alongside Cushman Wakefield to provide specialist tourism and leisure market appraisal for Cleethorpes Resort North Masterplan.
• Duncan Bryden AssociatesminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerMultiple collaborations with Duncan Bryden Associates on projects including Sustainability Centre feasibility study (Scottish Borders), Lochaline Quartz Sand discovery centre, and Glen Nevis sustainable tourism plan.
• Bowles GreenminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSub-consultancy role to Bowles Green preparing commercial strategy for South London Botanical Institute.
• Hawkins/BrownminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerAdvised Hawkins/Brown project team on operational viability for Cronton Colliery RIBA architectural competition submission for The Land Trust.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Planning Solutions Consulting