Best Residential Parks in the UK: County by County (2026)

Park Homes

Parks

The Best Residential Parks in the UK, County by County

14/08/2026

Finding a residential park for your retirement years can be difficult. The UK is brimming with incredible scenery and coastline, and every operator claims the best of it. A more useful question than "which park is nicest" is "where is the choice actually deepest, and who runs the parks".

This guide answers that county by county, using the Regency Living portfolio as the snapshot. They run twenty residential park communities across eight counties, which gives a fair picture of where the choice sits in England right now.

SEE EVERY REGENCY LIVING HOME FOR SALE

Which counties have the most residential parks

County	Parks
Dorset	9
Hampshire	3
Cornwall	2
Norfolk	2
Devon	1
Essex	1
Kent	1
Rutland	1

Dorset is the clear centre of gravity, and within Dorset one town stands out. Below we look at four locations worth your time, starting there.

Christchurch, Dorset

Christchurch is the strongest single location in the portfolio, with four parks in one town: Christchurch Marina Court, Tall Trees, Avondale Copse and New Forest Glades. Nowhere else in the group comes close to that concentration, and there is a reason for it.

The town sits where the Rivers Avon and Stour meet the sea, with a natural harbour, a quay and a priory that has stood since the eleventh century. The New Forest starts a few miles north. Bournemouth and its beaches are a short drive west. You get water, forest and a proper high street inside one postcode, which is rare anywhere on the south coast and rarer still at park home prices.

Christchurch Marina Court carries the deepest choice of homes of any park in the group, and Tall Trees is a mixed licence park, so residential owners get the benefit of the holiday side's facilities. Avondale Copse and New Forest Glades have no homes on the market as we write, which is worth knowing before you plan a viewing trip: check what is available before you travel, because the picture changes week to week.

Reculver Court, Herne Bay, Kent

Reculver Court is one of the most popular residential parks in Kent and has grown steadily as more buyers move permanently to the Kent coastline rather than holidaying on it.

What sets it apart is what is on site. There are exclusive tea rooms, a full size indoor swimming pool and a quiet coffee lounge, plus social clubs that make it straightforward to know your neighbours within weeks rather than years. For anyone moving to a new part of the country in retirement, that matters more than most buyers expect it to.

The setting helps too. Herne Bay has a restored Victorian seafront, and the Reculver Towers, the remains of a Roman fort and a twelfth century church, stand on the coast a couple of miles east.

Solent Grange, Lymington, Hampshire

Lymington is a Georgian market town on the edge of the New Forest, and one of the best known sailing centres on the south coast. Ferries leave the quay for the Isle of Wight, the Saturday market has run since the thirteenth century, and the open forest begins at the edge of town.

Solent Grange suits a specific buyer: someone who wants water access and forest walks from the same front door, and who would rather live in a working market town than a retirement enclave. It is one of the strongest locations in the group for buyers who are downsizing but not slowing down.

Dolbeare Court, Saltash, Cornwall

For buyers who want the West Country rather than the south coast, Dolbeare Court sits in countryside at Landrake, about ten minutes from Saltash, the town known as the gateway to Cornwall.

It is a quieter proposition than the coastal parks, with views over open country, historical sites nearby and a waterside conservation area that is home to a colony of mute swans. Plymouth is over the Tamar for hospitals, shops and rail links, which is a practical point often worth more than a sea view.

How to choose between them

The right park depends on more than the home. Site fees, licence terms, age rules, pet policies, local amenities and the feel of the community all matter, and none of them show up in a listing photograph.

One thing worth doing on every viewing: speak to current residents if they are outside their homes, and ask them directly what living there is like. They will answer you more honestly and more usefully than anyone else can.

Ask about the site fee and what it covers, how long the site licence runs, whether the park is gated, what the age restriction is, and how the park handles resale when the time comes. A good operator answers all five without hesitating.

“Regency Living buy from the leading UK manufacturers, Omar Homes among them, so the build quality is settled before you start looking. What you do next matters more. Go and stand on the plot, talk to the neighbours, and read the written statement before you fall in love with the kitchen.”
Justin Allitt, Sell My Group

Frequently asked questions

Which UK county has the most residential parks?

Of the counties covered here, Dorset has the most with nine parks, followed by Hampshire with three. Dorset consistently carries the deepest choice for residential park home buyers, and Christchurch alone accounts for four of those parks.

Can I live in a park home all year round?

Yes, on a residential park. Residential park homes are built to BS3632 and sit on pitches with a residential site licence, which allows year round occupation. Holiday parks work differently, so check the licence before you buy.

Is there an age restriction?

These parks are aimed at buyers aged 45 and over. Individual parks vary, with some set at over 50 or over 55, so check the page for the park you are interested in.

Can I part exchange my existing house?

Regency Living runs a part exchange scheme, which can let you move without waiting on a chain. Terms and eligibility change, so ask the park directly for the current position before you count on it.

BROWSE EVERY REGENCY LIVING HOME FOR SALE