Center Parcs is the UK’s most visited holiday park, delighting guests with its woodland setting, huge variety of activities and – of course – those all-important rapids.
And now, the company has announced plans for a brand new Center Parcs resort, with the first phase of development set to start soon.
Initial zoning blueprints give a glimpse into the scale of the project, which will feature 700 self-catering lodges designed for family stays, alongside a Subtropical Swimming Paradise and Aqua Sana Forest Spa.
‘This early-stage plan provides a foundation for thoughtful development, ensuring that environmental, heritage, and community factors remain central to our approach,’ commented chief executive, Colin McKinlay.
‘We are committed to listening to the local community as we refine our plans over the coming months, with the aim of submitting a formal planning application in the summer.’
Here’s what we know so far.
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Where is the new Center Parcs?
The first ever in Scotland, the new park will be in the Scottish Borders, north of Hawick and south of Selkirk – around a 90-minute drive from Edinburgh and Newcastle, or two hours from Glasgow.
In a recent statement, the firm praised the ‘picturesque location’ for its ‘rolling hills and open countryside providing stunning scenery at every turn.’
The village, which it said to ‘represent an investment of £350m-£400m’ will be able to welcome 3,500 guests at a time, with plans showing the main access route leading from the A7.
Although Center Parcs has yet to reveal an opening date, it has promised to share more as the project develops, adding that typically, a village opens around three years after planning approval.
‘The unveiling of this zoning plan marks an important first step in bringing our vision for a Center Parcs village in the Scottish Borders to life,’ McKinlay continued.
Center Parcs previously claimed the new site was necessary as its ‘existing villages are pretty much full all year round and we feel there is strong demand for another Center Parcs in the UK.’
The company also added that picking a site in Scotland was no coincidence, with its website reading: ‘We have a lot of Scottish families who visit Center Parcs already and this is a great opportunity to keep their economic impact in Scotland.’
There are currently five Center Parcs in the UK: Whinfell Forest, Sherwood Forest, Longleat Forest, Elveden Forest, Woburn Forest. There’s also one village in Ireland: Longford Forest.
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Each of these villages was developed in existing woodlands and forests, but this time, Center Parcs will be planting its own, in a process known as afforestation.
‘Thousands of trees’ will to be planted on the site – which is ‘currently mostly open grassland’ – to create a brand new woodland, in what the company calls ‘a bold, new approach’.
The plan also prioritises heritage and environmental significance, with additions like wetlands, meadows, and lochs, as well as improved screening to protect neighbouring properties and natural beauty.
'I've been to every Center Parcs in the UK'
Metro’s Acting Lifestyle Editor, Kristina Beanland, has spent many family holiday at a Center Parcs village.
She says: ‘I’ve been going to Center Parcs with my family since I was in primary school.
‘As a child, I signed up to some weird and wonderful activities: from street dance (picture the instructor as an older Raygun) to an oft-regretted two days making a music video to Madness’ Baggy Trousers (I was about nine at the time, and was more of an S Club fan).
‘There was also a few bizarre years when I was big into circus skills. I’m still yet to find a real-world use for my diablo practice.
‘As I got older, I was lucky enough to call Center Parcs my retreat amid GCSE and A-Level stress. A place to revise among the quiet, before throwing myself head first down the rapids for some light relief.
‘Mind you, whatever my age, cycling up the hills (particularly those in Longleat Forest) has become no easier – to the point where I’ve now ditched the two wheels for two feet instead.
‘I’ve celebrated some pretty important milestones in a Center Parcs village: the final episode of Friends, and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, to name just a few.
‘I’ve visited the village up in Cumbria, the one down in Bedford, and all the others in between – meaning I’ve been to every single one in the UK (although I haven’t ticked the Irish site off my list).
‘The village in Woburn is small and compact, and less than an hour away from London, but my favourite is probably Elveden, with its huge lake (try cable water skiing), sandy beach, and award-winning water ride, the Tropical Cyclone.
‘I only have happy memories (apart from that one time my mum tore her Achilles during an ill-fated game of badminton, but that’s a story for another day), and now the visits are less frequent, but still just as fun. Circus skills have been swapped for spa days, and I’ve been drunk on a bike on more occasions that I care to admit here.
‘Now, we’re joined by my young niblings – a new generation of my family is becoming equally as obsessed with Treats (iykyk) as I am.
‘Center Parcs is far from a budget holiday, but it’s worth saving up for – I can’t wait to go back.’
This article was first published on November 6, 2024.
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