Center Parcs reveals opening date for seventh UK park – and it’s sooner than you think
Center Parcs’ seventh site could open as soon as 2029, according to its boss.
Center Parcs currently has six sites across the UK and Ireland but none in Scotland.
The first Scottish Center Parcs holiday village was announced last year and now the company’s chief executive has said it could open by early 2029.
The Scottish park is expected to have a wide range of facilities including the popular Subtropical Swimming Paradise and Aqua Sana Forest Spa.
Family-friendly retail and dining options as well as adventure facilities such as tree trekking, adventure golf, and a zip wire will be on-site.
In addition, there will also be wildflower meadows, nature walks and a wetlands.
A dedicated Nature and Heritage Centre will be complete, with a restaurant and coffee shop.
Colin McKinlay told BBC Radio Scotland’s Drivetime programme that the project will have major benefits for the area, both during construction and once it is up and running.
In total, the £400million project looks to build 700 lodges and accompanying tourist facilities on a site in Hawick.
The company is aiming to submit its planning application this summer and start building in 2027.
Mr McKinlay said that the company had identified the Borders as a “real opportunity”, according to the BBC.
He added: “It fits so many of our criteria in terms of the area, in terms of the demographic profile of people around the area.”
Mr McKinlay also explained how the company hopes to employ as many people as possible from the local area.
In addition, he claimed the local area would benefit as visitors who stayed at the park for three or four nights, would be likely to “explore the area as well”.
An assessment of the traffic and environmental impact of the Scottish park will also be carried out during the planning process.
If both go as planned, then the company expects to welcome the first visitors within four years.
Mr McKinlay added: [I]f we’re successful, I would envisage us moving forward to a programme that would start building probably early in 2027 and hopefully opening as early as spring 2029.”
Full plans for the park are expected to be released in May.
Center Parcs currently attracts millions of visitors a year to its six sites across the UK and Ireland.
Center Parcs has already released plans for the woodland lodges at the site.
Plus, how to bag a free stay at Center Parcs.