Plans for a new Center Parcs holiday village in Scotland are moving forward as officials have recommended the proposals for approval ahead of a final vote by the Scottish Borders Council’s planning committee on December 8. If approved, the development would become Scotland’s first Center Parcs location and the company’s first new UK site since Woburn Forest opened in 2017.
The project, located near Hawick, is expected to include 700 lodges set within woodland, newly created lochs, nature trails, an indoor swimming complex, a health spa, outdoor activity areas, retail sites, and restaurants.
The estimated cost of the development is approximately £450 million. Center Parcs has stated it hopes to welcome around 350,000 visitors annually once the site is operational.
Lead planning officer Barry Fotheringham said the development aligns with the requirements of a large rural site and that it presents broader economic and social benefits.
He stated: “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.”
He noted that while the project will have some impacts, the extensive documentation submitted by Center Parcs outlines mitigation measures.
“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,” he told The Sun.
Fotheringham added that the project could play a meaningful role in strengthening the regional economy.
“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.”
Center Parcs chief executive Colin McKinlay previously stated that if planning permission were granted before the end of the year, the company would aim to open the holiday village in early 2029. He also provided an overview of the planned site layout, describing the guest experience on arrival.
“[There will be a] two kilometre access road that would take you up to the start of the area where we’re looking to develop. You’ll be met with a cycle centre, a spa, you’ll be able to walk through a forest to an iconic view of our swimming pool complex with up to about 700 lodges that’ll be interspersed within the trees,” he said. “Together with a nature centre, a heritage centre, lots of outdoor activities as well.”
The company previously released images showing conceptual designs of the village, including a subtropical swimming paradise with a lazy river, an Aqua Sana Forest Spa, a sports plaza, a pancake house, waterside lodges, and a Nature and Heritage Centre.
For outdoor hospitality operators, the development illustrates continued demand for large-scale, year-round family leisure destinations in the UK market.
The scale of investment and focus on nature-integrated accommodation also reflect trends that park owners and glamping operators may see influencing visitor expectations, competitive positioning, and long-term investment planning.
McKinlay summarized the significance of the proposal by saying: “This has the potential to be a once-in-a-generation investment for the Scottish Borders.”