Center Parcs announces plans for first Scottish site and it's just 60 miles from Newcastle

Center Parcs is developing proposals to create its first holiday village in Scotland. The chosen site is in the Scottish Borders near Hawick, approximately 60 miles north-west of Newcastle and 55 miles south of Edinburgh.

Plans are at an early stage and Center Parcs intends to submit a formal planning application, for approximately 700 lodges, in 2025. It would be a similar concept to the company's existing six holiday villages in England and Ireland, with a range of indoor and outdoor activities, shops, bars, restaurants, a spa and the subtropical swimming pool area.

Center Parcs would undertake a programme of afforestation as part of the project, cultivating a new woodland on a site which is predominantly open grassland. The proposals were outlined in Hawick today to a gathering of community leaders, business and political representatives, Business Insider reports.

Colin McKinlay, chief executive 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."

"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."

"We are at an early stage with these proposals and have a lengthy and thorough planning process ahead, but 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, between 750 and 800 mainly regional jobs would be created, with local contractors used where possible. Once operational, the holiday village is expected to create around 1,200 permanent, non-seasonal jobs. The estimated investment to build the new village will be between £350m to £400m.

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. It is expected that development on the site will extend to 400 acres.

Benny Higgins, executive chair 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."

Center Parcs currently operates six villages: Sherwood Forest in Nottinghamshire, Elveden Forest in Suffolk, Longleat Forest in Wiltshire, Whinfell Forest in Cumbria, Woburn Forest in Bedfordshire and Longford Forest in Ireland.

These have an average annual occupancy of 97%, with 2.3 million guests staying last year - and approximately 65% being returners. Center Parcs UK and Ireland is separate and independent of the Center Parcs business in Europe.