Finance for luxury lodge parks

Premium per-pitch values and what they signal

The economics of a lodge park are stronger per pitch than a standard static site, and that shows up in the numbers a lender reviews. Where holiday static pitches averaged around £34,192 per pitch in 2024 transactions (Savills, Holiday & Home Park Update 2025), lodge parks generally sit above that, reflecting higher unit values and the premium pitch fees lodge owners pay. For a lender, higher per-pitch value signals a higher-quality income stream and a more resilient business, which can support stronger terms. It is not, however, a substitute for the fundamentals; a lender still needs to see that the earnings are sustainable rather than a snapshot of one strong year.

What turns premium per-pitch values into fundable strength is consistency. A lodge park that holds high occupancy, renews pitch fees reliably and turns over lodges at healthy margins year after year reads as a high-quality trading asset. We help owners present per-pitch performance alongside the wider accounts so a lender can see how the premium positioning translates into durable EBITDA. The aim is to let the genuine quality of the business come through to the desks best placed to fund it. This is information only, not advice, and any figures are indicative and not an offer of finance.

Lodge sales margin at the premium end

On a luxury lodge park the sales margin is often the single largest profit driver, amplified by the high values the units command. Industry buyer guides indicate lodges retail upwards of £150,000, and premium twin-unit models considerably more, so each sale can generate a meaningful margin while also bringing a new owner onto a premium pitch fee. That combination of one-off profit and fresh recurring income makes a healthy sales operation central to the business and central to a lender's analysis. Underwriters will look at how many lodges the park sells, at what margin, and how stable that has been across the cycle.

Because sales income is inherently more variable than pitch fees, a prudent lender may discount it when sizing debt, leaning on the contractual pitch-fee base for core serviceability and treating sales margin as headroom. That is a reason to evidence sales clearly over several years, not to understate them, so the underlying trend is visible. The value of the resident fleet and the age profile of lodges on the park also tell a lender about the sustainability of future sales. We help owners present this picture so quality is not lost in the detail. As ever, this is general information rather than advice, and figures shown are indicative and not an offer of finance.

Premium locations and planning

Luxury lodge parks live or die by location, and the best of them occupy genuinely prized settings in the Lakes, on the coast and in or beside national parks. That scenery supports premium pricing and high occupancy, but it also tends to bring careful planning oversight on density, design, landscaping and the length of the operating season. Those conditions feed directly into the income a lender can underwrite, because they shape how many pitches the site can hold and how long it can trade each year. A consent that supports a premium layout and a long season in a sought-after location is a real asset in a funding conversation.

We treat the planning and licensing position as a core part of the file at this end of the market, precisely because the values involved are higher and the conditions can be more nuanced. Understanding the consent, the licence term and the tenure lets a lender size a larger facility with confidence. Where an owner is contemplating expansion, additional lodges or a layout change, those usually need their own planning route and proper planning advice, which sits outside our role. We work from the consent as it stands. This is general information, not legal or planning advice, and any terms indicated are not an offer of finance.

Borrowing structure for larger lodge parks

Lodge parks often involve larger lot sizes, so the borrowing structure tends to be more considered than for a small site. Most lending is unregulated commercial finance, commonly arranged through a limited company or special purpose vehicle, which suits how owners hold premium assets, manage portfolios and plan for the future. At higher loan amounts, lenders look closely at the corporate covenant, the experience of the management team and the support directors are willing to give, including guarantees, debentures and charges. None of that is unusual; it reflects the scale and quality of the asset rather than any concern.

Because the sums are larger, getting the structure and the file right before approaching lenders saves significant time. A clear corporate picture, clean accounts and well-evidenced licence and consent documents let a lender move with confidence. The choice of structure carries tax and legal consequences that fall outside our remit and should be taken with proper advice. Our role is to match the structure the owner has chosen to lenders who can support it at the right scale, then manage the case to terms. We do not give financial, legal or tax advice, and any indication of terms is illustrative and not an offer of finance.

Acquiring or expanding a luxury lodge park

Whether a client is buying a premium lodge park or expanding one they already own, the funding logic stays the same: the business is assessed as a high-quality commercial going concern, and the loan is sized against its EBITDA. For an acquisition, lenders weigh the sales record, the pitch-fee base, the location and the consent, and will value relevant experience from the buyer given the lot sizes involved. For an expansion, such as adding lodges or upgrading infrastructure to lift the offer, the conversation shifts toward how the project changes the trading picture and how the works are funded and exited.

These can be substantial transactions, and they reward preparation. Presenting the trade, the documents and the plan in the way lenders assess them, with the premium positioning evidenced rather than asserted, makes for a smoother process. Where a project is involved, separating the trading case from the development case keeps the file clear. We help owners and buyers assemble that picture and we introduce it to lenders whose appetite fits the scale and the asset. Our role is to arrange and introduce, not to lend. This is general information, not advice, and any figures are indicative and not an offer of finance.