From Greenfield Site to Award-Winning Resort

Five years ago, Rockingham Forest Park was a greenfield site with a vision for what it could become. Today, it is an established holiday destination set within 648 acres of beautiful countryside and woodland. We spoke to Ian Sharpe, Managing Director of Rockingham Forest Park, about the journey from the site's industrial and wartime history to the resort it is today, the importance of preserving its natural surroundings, his partnership with Landal, and what the future holds for the park.

Could you tell us the history of the site and Rockingham Forest before it became the resort we see today?

The history of Rockingham Forest Park is that it used to be iron ore quarries. Within the 648 acres that we have here, there were a lot of iron ore quarries throughout the 1940s into the 1970s.

Where the lodges are actually situated now was a Second World War US Air Force base. We’ve tried to hang on to some of the history of the air force base, both to remember the people who were stationed there and to make it a feature of interest for the park.

What inspired you to transform the site into a holiday destination?

We acquired the site by accident, really. This site, was actually due to be excavated for limestone. We owned 80 acres next to this particular site and didn’t particularly want the excavation to go ahead, so we bought the site.

We then had to decide what we were going to do with it, and a holiday park seemed to really fit the bill to move it forward. We now have what you see today.

When you first stood here as a greenfield site, what was your vision for Rockingham Forest?

My vision when we first started was initially a touring caravan park. That was the initial plan, but that soon became a development into the holiday park that we have today.

The general view was that holiday lodges would be a more permanent, better fit to allow us to increase and grow the park and, hopefully, develop a back-to-nature park.

Looking back, what were some of the challenges of bringing this vision to life?

The challenges of bringing the vision to life have got to be planning permission. That has been a very difficult process for us, more so on the second phase of the park.

Initially, it was the concept of trying to get local people to understand what Rockingham Forest was about. It wasn’t about waterslides, log flumes and all that type of thing. It was more about a back-to-nature holiday experience, with peace and quiet.

What does it feel like for you now, seeing the resort established and welcoming guests after five years of development?

To actually see the park operating now really is a big achievement. From starting on the greenfield site, having a vision of where we wanted it to be and actually getting it into reality, after all the hoops that we had to jump through to get there, is a real achievement.

To see guests here enjoying it, and the general feedback that we get from guests, which is all very positive, is fantastic.

It makes me feel like we’re giving people who want to experience rural life and a real location the opportunity to get away from the cities.

Initially, our target audience for the park was North London because we were a little over an hour away from there. So, to see people come out and experience that is a really good feeling. To actually get the feedback that we’re getting regarding the area is very rewarding.

What made you choose Landal as a partner?

We chose Landal as a partner initially following a visit to Gwel An Mor in Cornwall. We went down there in the early stages to see what the concept was, and we were discussing Landal with the owners.

They spoke very highly of Landal and recommended that we speak to them regarding park development. That initially got us on our journey with Landal.

That was reinforced when we got to the point of determining the lodge type and lodge mix. We invited Landal to join us at the lodge manufacturers, and the advice and guidance they gave us at that meeting pretty much reinforced that we needed to be partnered with Landal.

What gave you the confidence that Landal understood your vision for the park?

The confidence was immediate from day one because the knowledge that everyone at Landal had was imperative to us developing the park.

We came into this project with no lodge experience, no park experience and no holiday park experience at all. The guidance that we got from Landal was over and above what we were expecting.

What has Landal brought to the business that would have been difficult to achieve independently?

Landal brought to the business the ability for us to develop what we have today. We entered this business with no experience at all, and Landal talked us through the whole experience and helped us through it.

We had Landal at our meetings regarding our lodge mix and with the lodge manufacturers, advising us on interiors, exteriors, layout, park layout and amenities that they thought we would need, as well as general advice on everything to do with running and developing a park.

Landal has also totally reinforced the guest occupancy. We would never achieve the occupancy levels that we get without Landal’s support. The support and advice that we’ve had have been invaluable for us to develop the park.

How has the partnership with Landal evolved over the past five years?

I would say the partnership with Landal has evolved and got a lot stronger. I would probably put the partnership more as a friendship than a partnership, with the relationship we have with the team.

I just think it’s a completely fantastic working experience.

Since the resort has been open, Landal has been involved throughout the business. If we have ideas that we want to implement on the park, we discuss those with Landal.

They give us advice on where we should locate something, whether we should locate something at all, and whether we should actually have that on the park. It’s general advice on everything day to day regarding running the park.

So, technically, from the bottom up, Landal has been there supporting us all the way through.

What marketing has Landal brought to Rockingham Forest?

The marketing has been intensive from Landal. The far-reaching advertising that Landal does is having a massive impact on occupancy and bookings, and continuing to do so.

What do you value most about the relationship you’ve built with Landal?

What I value most about the relationship with Landal is the friendship.

The working relationship with Landal is fantastic. To develop a working relationship that becomes a friendship is the most important thing to us.

How important was it to preserve the landscape and the wildlife as the resort developed?

It was very important to preserve the landscape. Rockingham Forest Park is predominantly ancient woodland, which comes with its restrictions, and it was very important to preserve that.

One of the things that we’ve done in the park is plant in excess of 800 trees and plants throughout the park, to eventually give a woodland experience.

The park has a unique character, from the wildflowers to the peaceful surroundings. How intentional was that design?

The design was very intentional. We were developing in a woodland area, which we needed to keep as natural as possible.

So, the decision to put wildflowers around the park seemed like the right thing to do.

How would you describe the experience you wanted guests to have when they first arrived at Rockingham Forest?

I would describe the experience as wanting guests to experience a rural location, a peaceful and tranquil environment, and a holiday with a difference.

What feedback from guests makes you feel the most proud of what you’ve created?

The feedback from guests is fantastic. The tranquil location is predominantly what people feed back to us, and the repeat business reinforces that.

We have guests who have been back in excess of 15 times over those five years, which is a big testament to what we’ve achieved.

Is there a particular moment or milestone over the past five years that stands out as especially memorable?

I guess the special memory for me during this development was when we took delivery of our first lodges. To actually see the first lodges go into position really hit home that this was going to be a reality.

How important was it to preserve the landscape and the wildlife as the resort developed?

It was very important to preserve the landscape. Rockingham Forest Park is predominantly ancient woodland, which comes with its restrictions, and it was very important to preserve that.

One of the things that we’ve done in the park is plant in excess of 800 trees and plants throughout the park, to eventually give a woodland experience.

The park has a unique character, from the wildflowers to the peaceful surroundings. How intentional was that design?

The design was very intentional. We were developing in a woodland area, which we needed to keep as natural as possible.

So, the decision to put wildflowers around the park seemed like the right thing to do.

How would you describe the experience you wanted guests to have when they first arrived at Rockingham Forest?

I would describe the experience as wanting guests to experience a rural location, a peaceful and tranquil environment, and a holiday with a difference.

What feedback from guests makes you feel the most proud of what you’ve created?

The feedback from guests is fantastic. The tranquil location is predominantly what people feed back to us, and the repeat business reinforces that.

We have guests who have been back in excess of 15 times over those five years, which is a big testament to what we’ve achieved.

Is there a particular moment or milestone over the past five years that stands out as especially memorable?

I guess the special memory for me during this development was when we took delivery of our first lodges. To actually see the first lodges go into position really hit home that this was going to be a reality.

What makes the lake and this part of the park special for you?

This part of the park is very special because it’s a place of tranquillity where people can come and relax. They can fish, take part in recreational pursuits, or simply enjoy being in a nice rural setting.

Is there a favourite view or location that always reminds you how far the resort has come?

My favourite view is actually from our bistro down into the park, where you can get a complete vision of everything we’ve achieved here.

When guests arrive for the first time, what do you hope they notice first?

I think the one thing they’ll notice is that, from our entrance to the lodges, they drive for a mile through open countryside. That reinforces what they’re expecting when they get into the park.

Standing here today, does the resort match the vision you had all those years ago?

The resort 100% matches the vision that we had when we set out to develop it. It was a vision that we could foresee, and if anything, it’s turned out better than we actually anticipated.

Again, that is with the support of Landal.

Finally, what advice would you give to someone considering developing a luxury holiday resort or partnering with Landal?

The advice I would give to anyone considering developing land or a park is: do it, and do it with Landal’s support, because it is achievable.

I would recommend Landal to a developer who’s thinking of getting into the holiday park industry. The reason is: do it with the support of Landal, for the expertise, the knowledge and the support that Landal will offer.

At Landal, we partner with distinctive destinations that share a commitment to quality guest experiences, sustainability, and long-term growth. Rather than a one-size-fits-all approach, our partnerships are designed to support the individuality and ambition of each location.

Interested in what a partnership with Landal could look like for your destination? Explore how we support owners and developers across the UK.