Scotland's first Center Parcs recommended for planning approval

Plans for Center Parcs to open its first holiday village in Scotland have been recommended for approval.

The site is located three miles north of Hawick in the Scottish Borders and will feature around 700 lodges within a newly forested landscape.

A planning application was submitted in July following eight months of public consultation.

Now, Scottish Borders Council planning officers say they are satisfied with the plans despite objections from around 40 people living near the site.

Concerns have been raised over the impact on the landscape, noise, loss of farmland, additional traffic, and restricted access.

Center Parcs Scotland: CGI image of the Watersports Loch. Center Parcs

Center Parcs Scotland: CGI image of the Village Square. Center Parcs

Lead planning officer Barry Fotheringham said: “The proposals justify a clear requirement for a large rural site located outwith any settlement and there are demonstrable economic and social benefits, not just to the Scottish Borders region but to Scotland as a whole.

“Given the scale and size of the development, it is accepted that there will be impacts but having regard to the mitigating factors set out in the accompanying documentation submitted with the application, the proposals will not have an adverse impact on the landscape or the environment.

“There will be a negligible impact on the residential amenity of neighbouring properties, and impacts on the surrounding road network are limited.

“The proposal, which represents a £450m investment in the region, has the potential to be transformational in the context of the Borders economy, delivering year-round quality jobs as well as hundreds of thousands of new visitors annually, and is likely to act as a catalyst for wider economic regeneration.”

Masterplan of the Center Parcs village in the Scottish Borders. Center Parcs

Center Parcs said more than 1,000 members of the public provided feedback that has “shaped and refined” the final design proposals.

The site includes waterside lodges, apartments, lochs, a spa, a sports plaza, and a nature and heritage centre.

The Scottish village has been modelled on Center Parcs’ six existing villages across England and Ireland.

The total investment for the new village is estimated at between £350m and £400m.

Between 750 and 800 jobs could be created during construction with around 1,200 permanent, year-round roles to be created.

Colin McKinlay, CEO of Center Parcs, said: “We’re thrilled to submit our planning application for our proposed Center Parcs village in Scotland.

“Since unveiling our initial plans in November, it’s been a busy and rewarding eight months of consultation.

“We’ve listened carefully to feedback from local communities and stakeholders and have worked hard to shape a proposal that is both ambitious and sensitive to its surroundings.”

The council’s planning committee will meet on December 8 to decide whether or not to rubber-stamp the application.