Center Parcs has revealed plans for its first holiday village in Scotland – a move which is expected to create around 1,200 jobs.
It declared it continues to “see significant demand for domestic short breaks”, and declared the expansion into Scotland would “provide customers with a new site to explore”.
The planned new holiday village would have around 700 lodges, catering for about 3,500 guests at any one time, Center Parcs noted.
The site chosen for the village is in the Scottish Borders, around three miles north of Hawick and 55 miles south of Edinburgh.
Center Parcs, which is owned by Brookfield Asset Management, has not yet chosen a name for the planned new site.
It said: “The site is well-located and would provide significant benefits to the local economy in Scotland, including job creation.”
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It declared that proposals are at an early stage.
Center Parcs said it intends to submit a planning application in 2025.
The site lies to the east of the A7 trunk road between Hawick and Selkirk on land owned by the Buccleuch Group, which has signed an option agreement with Center Parcs. The agreement covers approximately 1,000 acres of land, comprising open grassland and some woodland. It is expected that development on the site will extend to 400 acres.
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Benny Higgins, executive chairman of the Buccleuch Group, said: “This project promises to have an outstandingly positive impact on tourism and leisure in the Scottish Borders and we are delighted to have signed an option agreement that will enable Center Parcs to take the next steps towards fulfilling its ambitions.”
Colin McKinlay, chief executive officer of Center Parcs, said: “This is a tremendously exciting project and offers the opportunity to transform leisure and tourism in the Scottish Borders. Center Parcs is an exceptionally popular destination for families in the UK and Ireland and there is robust demand to support a seventh village.
“Throughout our history, we have demonstrated that a Center Parcs village provides significant economic benefits locally, regionally and nationally.”
He added: “Many Scottish families already visit Center Parcs villages in England, and this village will offer the chance for people to enjoy their holidays closer to home, which in turn will benefit the local economy.
“Sustainability is core to our values. In our three decades of operating in the UK and Ireland, we have transformed areas of commercial woodland into a rich tapestry of flora and fauna, considerably enhancing the biodiversity of each village. This site gives us the opportunity to take a bold, new approach and create a woodland ourselves, delivering significant biodiversity net gain and planting thousands of new trees.
“We are at an early stage with these proposals and have a lengthy and thorough planning process ahead. We have already conducted a significant number of surveys to assess the site and we intend to continue with additional site surveys and design development, alongside a programme of pre-planning application consultation and community engagement.”
During the construction phase of the project, 750 to 800 mainly regional jobs will be created, and local contractors will be used where possible, Center Parcs declared.
Once operational, the village is expected to create around 1,200 permanent non-seasonal jobs. These will be largely local jobs and offer significant career opportunities, including management positions. Once operational, local suppliers will be used as much as possible.
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