Center Parcs is planning to create Scotland’s first holiday village

Center Parcs, the premium provider of short family holidays, has announced ambitious plans to develop Scotland’s first holiday village, marking a major expansion of its operations with an investment of up to £400 million.

The proposed development, located approximately three miles north of Hawick in the Scottish Borders, represents the company’s seventh village in the whole of the UK and Ireland.

The new resort, located 55 miles south of Edinburgh, will be built on a 1,000-acre site owned by the Buccleuch Group, with the actual development area expected to cover 400 acres.

The project includes plans for approx 700 dwellings It is expected to create 1,200 permanent jobs once operational, with an additional 750-800 jobs during the construction phase.

“This is a very exciting project and provides the opportunity to transform leisure and tourism in the Scottish Borders.” said Colin McKinlay, CEO of Center Parcs. “There is strong demand to support the Seventh Village, and many Scottish families are already visiting our villages in England.”

The development will mirror the successful format of Center Parcs’ existing locations, which include the company’s signature subtropical swimming paradise, Aqua Sana Forest Spa, restaurants, shops and numerous indoor and outdoor activities.

The company, which currently attracts more than two million visitors a year across its six existing sites, plans to submit a formal planning application in 2025.

Environmental considerations feature prominently in the proposal.

The company has committed to an extensive afforestation program on mostly grasslands, which promises significant improvements in biodiversity. “Sustainability is at the core of our values” McKinlay confirmed. “We have a proven track record of transforming commercial forests into ecosystems rich in flora and fauna.”

The project has received support from local leaders.

Ioan Jardine, leader of the Scottish Borders Council, described it as a “crime”. “A very huge investment” In the region. “To have a company with a national and global name like Center Parcs investing in the Borders – also a first in Scotland – is fantastic news.” He said.

Penny Higgins, CEO of Buccleuch Group, which has signed an option agreement with Center Parcs, expressed optimism about the impact of the project: “This project promises to have a fantastic positive impact on tourism and leisure in the Scottish Borders.”

The development represents the largest investment in the area since the construction of the Borders Railway, according to Professor Russell Griggs, Chairman of the South of Scotland Foundation.

The organization plans to work closely with Center Parcs to ensure local businesses and communities benefit from the development.

CentreParcs, which began operations in the Netherlands in the late 1960s before expanding to the UK in 1987, has established itself as a leading family holiday destination.

The company currently manages four villages in England: Sherwood Forest (Nottinghamshire), Elveden Forest (Suffolk), Longleat Forest (Wiltshire), and Woburn Forest (Bedfordshire), as well as Whinfell Forest in Cumbria and Longford Forest in County Longford, Ireland.

The Scottish project, estimated to cost between £350 million and £400 million, represents one of the largest leisure investments in Scotland in recent years and is expected to significantly boost the local economy through job creation and increased tourism.