logo
Center Parcs Hawick village will 'transform' area, says chief

Center Parcs Hawick village will 'transform' area, says chief

The National09-07-2025
Center Parcs Longford Forest, Ireland's first Center Parcs resort, has significantly revitalised the local landscape and economy since its opening in 2019.
The €233 million development, situated in Newcastle Wood near Ballymahon, has boosted tourism and created one thousand permanent jobs.
It's a pattern which is about to be repeated if planning approval is granted for a new £400m holiday village earmarked for Huntlaw Farm just off the A7, north of Hawick and south of Selkirk.
READ MORE: 'I'm so sorry': Yungblud cancels Scottish show and album launch
It is anticipated that the development would boost the Borders economy to the tune of almost £9m a year.
The leisure resort, first announced last November, would result in a 55 per cent increase to hospitality accommodation, with 356,700 annual overnight visitors, more than the total for the Borders as a whole in 2023.
There would be a 196,200 increase in annual day visitors to the wider Borders area, each spending an average of £45, or £8.8m in total.
A formal planning application was this week submitted to Scottish Borders Council.
Center Parcs chief executive Colin McKinlay said: 'We're incredibly grateful to everyone who took the time to engage with us. Their insights have helped us develop a design that blends seamlessly with the natural landscape while delivering high-quality accommodation and leisure experiences for families.
'This is an exciting opportunity – not just for Center Parcs but for the Scottish Borders. As we witnessed when we opened our newest location in Longford in Ireland in 2019, a new village has the potential to transform local tourism, create year-round employment and bring a significant boost to the regional economy.
'Center Parcs continues to be a hugely popular destination for families across the UK and Ireland. With many families in Scotland already travelling to our existing villages in England, a Scottish location would allow them to enjoy a premium holiday experience closer to home – while supporting jobs, businesses and tourism in the region.'
The planning application will now be considered by Scottish Borders Council in the coming months, with members of the public able to submit comments via the council's online planning portal.
If approved, the new village would feature around 700 lodges and apartments set in newly created woodland, the iconic Subtropical Swimming Paradise, a village centre with shops and restaurants, and the signature Aqua Sana Forest Spa – a tranquil retreat nestled in a natural setting.
Other key features of the proposal include two newly created lochs designed for water sports and recreation, a combined Nature and Heritage Centre with an adjacent restaurant and coffee shop, wildflower meadows, nature trails, and wetlands to promote biodiversity as well as a wide range of outdoor activities, integrated sympathetically into the landscape.
READ MORE: BBC host takes issue with legal expert labelling Israel's plans 'concentration camps'
In addition, Center Parcs plans to plant a forest at the proposed site, in a new approach for the business. Typically, Center Parcs builds its villages in commercial woodlands, improving biodiversity through careful forest management. The proposed site is predominantly open grassland and Center Parcs would plant thousands of native species to create a diverse and thriving woodland.
If given the go ahead, the development is expected to support between 750 and 800 jobs during the construction phase and create approximately 1200 permanent roles once operational, the majority of which will be filled by local people.
Center Parcs offers long-term career opportunities across a range of sectors, including hospitality, retail and village management.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Ten people arrested following Forth Road Bridge protest
Ten people arrested following Forth Road Bridge protest

Edinburgh Reporter

time3 hours ago

  • Edinburgh Reporter

Ten people arrested following Forth Road Bridge protest

Ten people have been arrested following a protest on the Forth Road Bridge on Friday, 25 July, 2025. The protest organised by Greenpeace UK involved a number of activists who suspended themselves from the bridge using ropes and was reported to police around 1.05pm. Five men, aged between 35 and 40, and five women, aged between 25 and 42, were arrested in connection and further enquiries are ongoing. Police said that the bridge was re-opened around 11am. Amy Cameron, Programme Director at Greenpeace UK said: 'We've achieved what we set out to. By blocking INEOS, we've drawn global attention to the company's bottomless appetite for plastic production, false solutions and profit for its billionaire boss Jim Ratcliffe. 'Their feeble suggestion that recycling and managing waste can hand them a free pass to go on producing more plastic forever is laughable. It comes from the same industry playbook as the health benefits of smoking and carbon offsetting. 'The plastic pollution problem is just too massive. Less than 10% of plastic is currently recycled globally, and this is set to rise to just 17% by 2060, while the amount of plastic we're producing is set to triple. The only solution is to address the problem at source which means securing a strong Global Plastics Treaty that imposes legally-binding caps on plastic production. 'INEOS are cutting jobs at Grangemouth while trying to open a massive new plastics plant in Belgium, leaving Scottish workers high and dry. If Jim Ratcliffe really cared about skilled jobs in Scotland he'd invest his billions in supporting his workers to transition into the green industries of the future, instead of throwing money at Formula 1 racing teams and football clubs.' 'Contrary to INEOS' claims, the protest was both safe and caused minimal disruption. The climbers are all highly-trained and spent weeks rehearsing this action to ensure it was safe. They were supported at all times by rescue climbers and support boats. The Forth Road Bridge carries low volumes of bus, bicycle and pedestrian traffic and was closed by Police Scotland – not by the protest directly.' Like this: Like Related

Trump International golf contest to receive £180,000 from Scottish Government
Trump International golf contest to receive £180,000 from Scottish Government

The National

time3 hours ago

  • The National

Trump International golf contest to receive £180,000 from Scottish Government

First Minister John Swinney is to meet with the US President while he is in Scotland over the next four days. Swinney said the funding will 'further enhance Aberdeenshire's reputation as a leading golfing destination'. READ MORE: Donald Trump claims immigration is 'killing Europe' during Scotland visit The Scottish Government are in 'advanced negotiations' over the money, which is to go towards the 2025 Nexo Championship, previously the Scottish Championship, which will be held at Trump International this August. Announcing the plans, Swinney said: 'I welcome the Nexo Championship being held at the Trump International Golf Links this August. 'Scotland has long been recognised as a world-class host of major events. Golf and golf events are a key part of our national identity, supporting communities, driving economic growth, contributing to environmental sustainability across the country and promoting Scotland through global profile. 'The [[Scottish Government]] recognises the importance and benefits of golf and golf events, including boosting tourism and our economy. 'As the home of golf, we have a long-standing track record of support and I am proud this funding will further enhance Aberdeenshire's reputation as a leading golfing destination and I am hopeful of securing further golfing events in future years.' The US President is expected to travel to Trump International in Aberdeenshire on Monday. Scottish Green co-leader Patrick Harvie has hit out at the First Minister for the promise of public cash for President Trump's golf resort. He likened that to Swinney announcing he is 'handing some pocket money to the school bully basically with £180,000 to support a golf tournament at the Menie estate'. After Trump again criticised the 'windmills' used in green energy project when he touched down in Scotland, Harvie said: 'He's attacking our renewables industry once again, one of the success stories of Scotland, and he is trying to attack and undermine it. 'That is after having trashed part of our natural environment on the Aberdeenshire coast to build his golf resort.' The Green MSP spoke out as he joined hundreds of other anti-Trump protesters at a demonstration in the Scottish capital. Trump flew into Prestwick Airport last night and has been pictured playing golf at his Turnberry resort in Ayrshire on Saturday morning. He is expected to meet with Swinney during his trip, along with Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Earlier this month, Swinney said, it is in the interests of the country that he meets US President as he had an 'obligation' to 'protect and promote' Scotland. He said there would be an opportunity during his meeting to discuss tariffs, Gaza and Ukraine.

Flynn: Don't let Trump be reason Starmer finally visits Aberdeen
Flynn: Don't let Trump be reason Starmer finally visits Aberdeen

The National

time3 hours ago

  • The National

Flynn: Don't let Trump be reason Starmer finally visits Aberdeen

SNP WESTMINSTER leader Stephen Flynn has called on the Prime Minister to meet with energy workers during his visit to the North East to meet Donald Trump. Flynn wrote a letter to Keir Starmer inviting him to the meeting with workers and those in the wider industry, noting that it shouldn't have taken a visit from Trump to 'drag [him] up to Aberdeen'. Starmer has not visited Aberdeen since before the election, despite the UK Government's latest energy policies affecting roles within Scotland's energy sector. In the letter, Flynn warned that the Labour Government's fiscal regime has cost thousands of jobs with net zero and energy security now at risk. READ MORE: Trump International golf tournament to receive £180k from Scottish Government The [[Aberdeen]] South MP said "it seems jobs become more critical to Westminster depending on which side of the Tweed they lie". He added: 'It should not take the visit of Donald Trump to drag you up to Aberdeen – it should have been the billions our industry provided to your Treasury coffers and the thousands of jobs being lost." Starmer and Energy Secretary Ed Miliband have faced widespread backlash over the scrapping of zonal pricing, as well as the closure of the Grangemouth oil refinery. Flynn's letter continues: 'The just transition is being put in jeopardy by your government that chooses to sit silent as workers lose their jobs, energy security is put at risk, economic growth is lost, supply chains are offshored and net zero targets are missed. READ MORE: 'He belongs in The Hague': Keir Starmer fiercely criticised over Gaza speech 'The independent expert advice is clear - we will see a Grangemouth scale of job losses each and every fortnight if your government does not shift from its misguided position and protect the energy industry of today so that the workforce can use their skills and expertise to develop the net zero industries of tomorrow. 'The opportunities of net zero are enormous, but they will not be realised if the Labour Government continues with its current fiscal regime that deters stability, confidence and investment in existing industries and we therefore lose our best people, and world-class supply chain, to nations elsewhere. 'Whether it is the impact of the Energy Profits Levy or your misguided investment in nuclear energy south of the border, we run the real risk of being in a 'worst of all worlds' type scenario and that would be unforgivable.'

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store