THE economic transformation of a town in the Republic of Ireland due to a Center Parcs holiday village will be replicated in the Borders, a company boss has predicted.
Center Parcs Longford Forest, Ireland’s first Center Parcs resort, has significantly revitalised the local landscape and economy since its opening in 2019.
The €233 million development, situated in Newcastle Wood near Ballymahon, has boosted tourism and created one thousand permanent jobs.
It’s a pattern which is about to be repeated if planning approval is granted for a new £400m holiday village earmarked for Huntlaw Farm just off the A7, north of Hawick and south of Selkirk.
It is anticipated that the development would boost the Borders economy to the tune of almost £9m a year.
The leisure resort, first announced last November, would result in a 55 per cent increase to hospitality accommodation, with 356,700 annual overnight visitors, more than the total for the Borders as a whole in 2023.
There would be a 196,200 increase in annual day visitors to the wider Borders area, each spending an average of £45, or £8.8m in total.
A formal planning application was this week submitted to Scottish Borders Council.
Center Parcs chief executive Colin McKinlay said: “We’re incredibly grateful to everyone who took the time to engage with us. Their insights have helped us develop a design that blends seamlessly with the natural landscape while delivering high-quality accommodation and leisure experiences for families.
“This is an exciting opportunity – not just for Center Parcs but for the Scottish Borders. As we witnessed when we opened our newest location in Longford in Ireland in 2019, a new village has the potential to transform local tourism, create year-round employment and bring a significant boost to the regional economy.
“Center Parcs continues to be a hugely popular destination for families across the UK and Ireland. With many families in Scotland already travelling to our existing villages in England, a Scottish location would allow them to enjoy a premium holiday experience closer to home – while supporting jobs, businesses and tourism in the region.”
The planning application will now be considered by Scottish Borders Council in the coming months, with members of the public able to submit comments via the council’s online planning portal.
If approved, the new village would feature around 700 lodges and apartments set in newly created woodland, the iconic Subtropical Swimming Paradise, a village centre with shops and restaurants, and the signature Aqua Sana Forest Spa – a tranquil retreat nestled in a natural setting.
Other key features of the proposal include two newly created lochs designed for water sports and recreation, a combined Nature and Heritage Centre with an adjacent restaurant and coffee shop, wildflower meadows, nature trails, and wetlands to promote biodiversity as well as a wide range of outdoor activities, integrated sympathetically into the landscape.
In addition, Center Parcs plans to plant a forest at the proposed site, in a new approach for the business. Typically, Center Parcs builds its villages in commercial woodlands, improving biodiversity through careful forest management. The proposed site is predominantly open grassland and Center Parcs would plant thousands of native species to create a diverse and thriving woodland.
If given the go ahead, the development is expected to support between 750 and 800 jobs during the construction phase and create approximately 1200 permanent roles once operational, the majority of which will be filled by local people.
Center Parcs offers long-term career opportunities across a range of sectors, including hospitality, retail and village management.
