1-Acre ROI Blueprint: Turning Spare Land into a £100k/Year Glamping Retreat
A farm-diversification playbook for leisure-site owners, farmers & landowners
Why a single acre is all you need..
Ever looked at that under-used paddock, scrubby field edge or orchard corner and thought, “Surely this could make money”? You’re right. Thanks to the UK’s booming staycation market and the flexibility of a Certified Site Licence (CSL), one acre can generate six-figure revenues while future-proofing your land for decades. Below is a phased roadmap that keeps cash flow positive from day one, scales at your speed, and—crucially—stands out in Google results for “glamping + [your location]”.
Phase 1 – CSL & Seasonal Camping (Months 0-12)
Key actions
Secure a Certified Site Licence – Partner with one of the big clubs (Caravan & Motorhome Club, Camping & Caravanning Club) to operate up to five touring pitches year-round with no full planning application—just written landowner consent and basic facilities.
Install essential infrastructure
Purchase an ‘off the shelf’ compact shower block
Feel free to add Two budget eco-toilets with sawdust closer to the camp ground.
32 A hook-ups & potable-water points for five pitches
Add a “wow” factor food & drink hub – A repurposed horse-box café serving espresso, local beer & wood-fired pizza. It triples campsite spend per head and can be staffed by uni students on weekends/holidays.
See a rough breakdown below;
Estimated Costs of Phase 1 - Camp Site Setup.
Phase 2 – First Two Cabins on Finance (Months 12-24)
The second phase is to add two luxury glamping cabins to your already exisiting set up. Pick a corner on your plot, add some hedging and some concrete foundations ready for your chosen models. You already have the CSL (certified site license) so you can get going immendiately!
First of all you’ll want to ensure your model stands out from the crowd - think like your customers - they will Google ‘Glamping + [your location]’ so if there’s a tonne of traditional cabins or shepherds huts in your area, you will get lost in the sea of cookie cutter models. It’s also important to check for a healthy ROI. A model that can withstand the cold temperatures, and I mean one that is comfortable in crappy British weather will allow you to gain 5 star reviews all year round as well as additional income unlike huts that will typically have a 6-8 month seasonal use with two of those months being filled with complaints of the cold!
Why two, not five?
Keeps monthly repayments manageable
Lets you A/B-test layout, décor and price point
Generates photo assets & glowing reviews to fuel later bookings
Stand-out ideas to ensure all year round occupancy
Privacy decking with hedging or fencing (to command a premium per night)
Glass-fronted star-gazing ceilings to sleep with the stars
Outdoor bath fed by a repurposed whisky barrel for true outdoorsy people
Estimated Profits From Camping Site and First Set of Cabins - Phase 2
What’s already exciting is that at phase 2, you are already into healthy numbers!
Add Three “Next-Gen” Cabins (Months 24-36)
By now you’ve built an email list of loyal guests. Reward them and raise your ADR (average daily rate) with three fresh cabins—similar palette, but each with a signature twist so they return to each cabin and become a loyal returning customer.
Forest-Spa Cabin – Outdoor decking with sauna + cold-plunge barrel
Whisky Lounge – A sexy tranquil space to poor your favorite tipple after a long hike, with rustic fireplace and ‘cellar’ vibes to match.
Romantic Escape – Think dark and sensual with reflective glass, ample seating and comfortable robes with charcuterie and wine!
Because repeat visitors crave novelty, marketing emails practically write themselves: “Try our brand-new forest-spa escape…”
Phase 3 - Complete Cabin Setup With New Unqiue Experiences
Now.. I’m not saying that close to £200k is going to go straight into your spending account. In fact, costs for water, electric plus airbnb fees (should you be letting with a management company) plus breakfast and other small gifts you may offer on site. Still, after costs, you could easily be churning £150,000 per year with much more profit in the pipeline once your leisure cabins have been fully paid off - further more, if you chose high quality models with a long lifespan, then you’ll have 30+ years allowing you to either pass on the business of to even sell the corner plot when you get a little tired of running around your site.
Alternatively, there’s the option of Phase 4
Phase 4 – Luxury Lodges on Static Pitches
Let’s say you’ve had your fun, it’s been a ball, but after 10 years and a healthy £1,5m in profit in the accounts, maybe you’ll be looking for a more simple way of life. So, how about a residential lodge site?
What do I mean by this? Well, you could trade your current leisure site in for a luxury lodge site with residential spaces. Let’s say you had space for 20 lodges and maybe some touring spots remain open for a social atmosphere. A simple planning permission application (HPW Architecture & Planning Support can always help you with this) will allow you to set up a whole new site, one where people live on site in a calm nature based space.
Why change to a residential site?
-You’d be doing your bit for your area (the older generation need someone to go, somewhere that isn’t a care home but somewhere with nature and life still on site. It attracts 50+ onwards, people who are downsizing with some giving up their larger homes for a quieter more simple life in the open countryside.
-You’d gain a healthy ongoing revenue without the stress of the site management. Each year you’ll receive annual site fees for maintaining and managing the site as well as profits from the sold lodges.
-It’s slower paced and equally just as rewarding. You’ll still have social chats with those on site, maybe even small scale events for seasonal festivities but without the mass crowds, cleaning and general chaos that takes place during a peak summer time rush on a camping site.
Okay convinced? So, how does this work?
-Change planning permission to residential site
-Purchase 2-3 models (a one, two and three bed as showroom spaces)
-Sell the other plots off plan so you don’t have all the upfront costs of shelling out for 20 units in one sitting.
-Sit back and enjoy the profits and annual yields whilst knowing you are building a community
For more info on this, get in touch with our team today - email sales@thchomes.co.uk
Nordsky Luxury Lodge With Indoor Bath and Sauna
Conclusion – small acreage, big future
A single acre, developed methodically, can snowball from a seasonal campsite to a diversified leisure estate throwing off £100k+ a year with sky-high occupancy and loyal, repeat guests. Start lean with a CSL, build buzz with two unforgettable cabins, then scale into a full-blown boutique resort—without ever needing to beg the planners for permission.
Next step? Book a 30-minute site-assessment call to pin down your numbers. The sooner you lock your licence, the sooner your land starts paying you back.
Ready to turn grass into gold? Let’s pitch the first tent.