Tue 5th Nov 2024 - Center Parcs plans £400m Scottish holiday village Center Parcs plans £400m Scottish holiday village: Center Parcs is developing proposals to create its first holiday village in Scotland. The site chosen for the village is in the Scottish Borders, approximately three miles north of Hawick and 55 miles south of Edinburgh. The estimated investment to build the new village will be between £350m-£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, comprising open grassland and some woodland. It is expected that development on the site will extend to 400 acres. The company said that the site is well-located and would provide significant benefits to the local economy in Scotland, including job creation. It said that proposals are at an early stage and that it intends to submit a planning application in 2025. The proposed village will be a similar concept to Center Parcs' existing six holiday villages in England and Ireland, and a planning application will be submitted for approximately 700 lodges. The site will offer a range of indoor and outdoor activities, shops, bars, restaurants, an Aqua Sana Forest Spa and Center Parcs' indoor water park, the Subtropical Swimming Paradise. Center Parcs outlined its proposals in Hawick to a gathering of community leaders and business and political representatives. 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. 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. 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.” Once operational, the village is expected to create around 1,200 jobs. 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.” In July, Center Parcs said it was tapping into the wellness market as it reported a fall in annual pre-tax profit amid a “challenging external environment”. In the year to 18 April 2024, revenue at its six-strong UK and Ireland operations rose 5.2% to £704.1m (2023: £593.8m), of which £417.9m was for accommodation and £286.2m for on-site spending. However, pre-tax profit fell 18.7% to £98.4m, from £121m previously. Ebitda increased 1.9% to a record £310.5m, up from £304.6m in 2023. Center Parcs said it had achieved 97% occupancy and had welcomed 2.3 million visitors. In 2021, Center Parcs outlined plans for a site near Crawley in West Sussex but shelved those proposals two years later over environmental concerns. Center Parcs features in the Propel Turnover & Profits Blue Book. Center Parcs’ turnover of £704.1m is the 21st highest in the database. The Blue Book ranks companies by turnover, profit and profit conversion, listing directors’ earnings for the past five years. Companies can now have an unlimited number of people receive access to Propel Premium for a year for £995 plus VAT – whether they are an operator or a supplier. The single subscription rate is £495 plus VAT for operators and £595 plus VAT for suppliers. Email kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com to upgrade your subscription.