Center Parcs reveals plans for new £400million holiday resort in the UK – with 700 lodges and indoor waterpark
CENTER Parcs has confirmed plans for a new holiday park in the UK – the seventh of it’s kind.
The new resort will be the first to open in Scotland, being built on the Scottish borders three miles north of Hawick.
The resort would cover around 400 acres, with both grass and woodland.
Inside the holiday park will be 700 lodges, along with both indoor and outdoor activities that families can book.
This includes its Aqua Sana Forest Spa and famous indoor water park, the Subtropical Swimming Paradise.
Shops, bars and restaurants will also be on-site.
The project will cost between £350million and £400million, with around 1,200 jobs created.
A planning application will be submitted early 2025.
Colin McKinlay, Chief Executive Officer of Center Parcs, said it was a “tremendously exciting project”.
He added: “Throughout our history, we have demonstrated that a Center Parcs village provides significant economic benefits locally, regionally and nationally.
“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.
“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.”
He added that they were at the “early stages of the proposal” still, so no official opening date has been confirmed.
The first Center Parcs opened in Europe, with it’s first holiday village in the Netherlands in the 1960s.
The UK is currently home to five Center Parcs resorts, as well as one in Ireland.
The first to open was Sherwood Forest village in Nottinghamshire in 1987, followed by Elveden Forest in 1989.
Center Parcs Longleat opened in 1994, celebrating it’s 30th anniversary this year with two new attractions – a new Adventure Golf course and extended Leisure Bowl facility.
Whinfell Forest in Cumbria opened in 1997, which is the largest Center Parcs resort.
The newest to open is Woburn Forest in Bedfordshire which opened in 2014.
In 2019, Longford Forest also opened in Ireland.
Plans for a Center Parcs in Crawley were previously put forward although this was later scrapped.
More than 2million tourists visit the resorts every year.
There are lots of Center Parcs resorts in Europe too, with some families heading abroad and saving money.
Little-known free perks at Center Parcs
Visit before check in
Families can explore the park from the morning to make the most of their stay, with six free hours before the 4pm check in.
The park website states: “On your day of arrival, you can start your adventure in the forest from 10am and have access to your accommodation at 4pm.”
Stay after check out
Check out is 10am, but guests can stay on site until midnight that day.
This gives another 14 free hours to explore the activities.
The website states: “On your final day at Center Parcs don’t rush to get back to reality, you will need to leave your accommodation by 10am, though guests are welcome to stay on village until midnight.”
Free baby swimming sessions
Baby Dolphins is a free session for kids under three before the pool opens, so parents can have a quieter session with their little ones.
One mum revealed the European resort which was nearly £1,000 cheaper to visit in the UK half term.
And a new Center Parcs Nordborg is opening in Denmark next year, the first of its kind.