A brand new holiday park is popping up just two hours from Glasgow, as Center Parcs has revealed it has begun building works at the Scottish Borders.
Center Parcs boasts six parks across the UK and Ireland at present, with over 35 years of experience in offering family holidays. The newest site is located three miles from Hawick in the Scottish Borders, and it should have up to 700 lodges and apartments, a signature Aqua Sana Forest Spa, a Subtropical Swimming Paradise indoor water park, and both indoor and outdoor leisure and sports facilities, as well as shops, restaurants, bars, coffee shops and a local heritage centre.
What is more, the construction of the park is creating around 800 jobs, as well as 1,200 new permanent job roles once the Center Parcs holiday park is open in the Scottish Borders. The investment will set them back £450 million to complete.
Plus, the project has plans to enhance surrounding woodland areas creating new biodiversity initiatives. The company is set to plant a completely new forest, which is the first time it has established woodland from scratch when developing a new village.
On Wednesday, March 18, works have officially begun by planting the first trees led by pupils from Trinity Primary School and Stirches Primary School, before the community drop-in meeting at Hawick Town Hall.
When will the new Center Parcs holiday village open?
The new holiday village by Center Parcs is set to open in 2029.
First Minister John Swinney said: “Economic growth must reach the people and places that need it most. Investing in the South of Scotland through this project is a direct expression of our belief that every part of Scotland deserves to benefit from a growing economy.
“Investing here is a deliberate statement that we are serious about reducing regional inequality and creating genuine opportunity for young people – 30% of these 1,200 jobs are targeted at 16-to-24-year-olds.
“It is a privilege to be here with local school children to start planting new trees for the site and I look forward to seeing the development of the project before the resort opens in 2029.”
Colin McKinlay, CEO of Center Parcs, said: “This marks another momentous milestone in the creation of Center Parcs Scottish Borders, and it is fantastic that the First Minister and local schoolchildren were able to join us as we begin work on site.
“It was hugely important for us to involve local children today because the benefits Center Parcs Scottish Borders will bring will have a long-lasting and transformative effect on the future of this area in terms of jobs, the economy and the environment. The saplings the children will take home today are a true reflection of the positive benefits Center Parcs brings to an area – we create villages that really benefit the local community, where that positivity ripples out beyond our boundaries and into local towns, schools, businesses and homes. And, like the trees we’ve planted today, we intend to be here for many years to come.
“We are very grateful for the support of the Scottish Government, Scottish Borders Council, South of Scotland Enterprise and many other partners who have worked with us to unlock the potential of this project, and it is incredibly exciting to see work at the site now getting underway.”
Professor Russel Griggs OBE, Chair of South of Scotland Enterprise (SOSE), said:
“This is a significant moment for the South of Scotland, with Center Parcs being one of a number of big investments we are currently welcoming to our region.
“Center Parcs presents massive opportunities and will help diversify the visitor economy, attract new people, deliver inclusive growth and provide significant supply chain opportunities for SMEs and entrepreneurs.
“This investment also provides a chance to tackle head-on the economic challenges of the past, which still impact communities such as Hawick.”
