Center Parcs unveils further details for proposed Scottish site
Key highlights include new visuals and more detailed designs for the village centre, showcasing the iconic Subtropical Swimming Paradise, the luxurious Aqua Sana Forest Spa, and a selection of family-friendly retail and dining options, including the much-loved Pancake House.
Attendees also learned more about the layout of the accommodation, which includes woodland lodges and an apartment block, as well as a range of outdoor and adventure facilities such as tree trekking, adventure golf, and a zip wire.
READ MORE:
Center Parcs plans for first Scottish site take 'major step forward'
Center Parcs unveils masterplan for proposed Scottish Borders village
Center Parcs unveils zoning plan for proposed Scottish Borders village
Additional detail was also shared on the "carefully designed" lochs, wildflower meadows, nature walks, and wetlands of the development. A dedicated Nature and Heritage Centre—complete with an adjacent restaurant and coffee shop - "will be both educational and a welcome spot for guests to relax".
The masterplan also outlines extensive landscaping and screening measures "to ensure the village blends seamlessly into the surrounding natural environment".
Meanwhile, "carefully integrated paths and access roads" have been designed to "preserve the village's tranquillity while enhancing guests' connection to the surrounding natural landscape".
This latest consultation follows previous events in Lilliesleaf in February, where the preliminary zoning plan was revealed, and in Denholm last month, where the first iteration of the masterplan was shared.
The final public consultation event will take place in Hawick on Tuesday, May 20 with a Community Open Day being hosted on Wednesday, May 21, where further detail will be revealed including new CGI of the proposed development.
An updated version of the village masterplan (Image: Center Parcs)
Center Parcs plans to submit a formal planning application to Scottish Borders Council this summer.
Colin McKinlay, CEO of Center Parcs, said: "We're pleased to share the latest version of the masterplan with the community and show how their feedback is helping to shape the future of the Scottish Borders village. From the layout of our lodges to the design of key facilities like the Subtropical Swimming Paradise and Aqua Sana Forest Spa, every detail has been carefully considered to reflect the unique character of the location. We have made good progress so far in our design, technical and consultation work and we are committed to continuing positive collaboration as we move towards submitting our planning application."
Center Parcs currently operates six villages across the UK and Ireland and brings over 35 years of experience in delivering high-quality, family short breaks.
If planning permission is granted for the Scottish Borders site, the development is expected to generate between 750 and 800 jobs during the construction phase. Once operational, the village is expected to create approximately 1,200 permanent, non-seasonal roles—offering a wide range of career opportunities for local residents, including management positions. The total investment in the project is estimated at between £350 million and £400 million.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
ITV News
13 minutes ago
- ITV News
Loganair to rival Blue Islands with daily flights between Jersey and Southampton
Loganair will start running daily flights between Jersey and Southampton from early 2026. The Scottish airline has chosen to compete with local operator Blue Islands, which currently offers the only direct service between the two airports. Loganair says tickets for the new route, which will use an Embraer 145 jet aircraft, will go on sale later this year. Each passenger gets up to 21kg of luggage allowance, allocated seating and an in-flight refreshment included in the price, which has not been announced. The news comes in the same week Ports of Jersey announced a 'major redesign' of the island's airport departures area to better serve travellers' needs. A spokesperson for Loganair says: "The DNA of our business for over six decades has been to link regions and cities and to connect island communities to the mainland. "We recognise how important a reliable and resilient service is between Jersey and Southampton, and we are looking forward to serving these communities with the new route." Meanwhile, the airline Jet2 has cancelled plans to run a regular service between Jersey and Bournemouth for summer 2026. It has dropped six routes from the south coast airport following a review and says any customers who have already bought tickets will get a full refund.
Scotsman
an hour ago
- Scotsman
Edinburgh homes soar £22,000 in a year
Homeowners in the Scottish capital have seen their homes increase in value as the UK experiences a nationwide boom in property prices. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... UK property values increased by 1.1% in this week's House Price Index, with an annual increase of 3.9% to the delight of homeowners across the country. . Those owning property in Edinburgh gained £2,648 from April to May this year thanks to a modest 1% monthly gain. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad It will be the yearly increase which is sure to have left homeowners ecstatic as an 8% increase in Auld Reekie has added £22,357 to house prices. The average UK home is now worth £269,000 following the 3.9% rise over the last 12 months The average home in Edinburgh now costs £294,181, above the UK national average for a property. Homes in East Lothian had the strongest year-on-year gain across Edinburgh and the Lothians, with £24,357 added to the average property in the area. However, of the four areas it still remains the most expensive to buy in with the average home costing £297,042. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad In Scotland there was no monthly increase but an annual 6.4% rise, meaning the average Scottish home now costs around £192,000. The average UK home is now worth £269,000 following the 3.9% rise over the last 12 months which added £10,000 to prices. House prices in England saw an annual price rise of 3.4%, making the average property worth £290,000, while Wales had a 5.1% increase and homes stood at £210,000 on average. . The report revealed more than 80,000 properties were sold in March 2025 surpassing the totals from both 2023 and 2024. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Tom Evans, sales director at Purplebricks Estate Agency said: 'Great news once again for the nation's homeowners, and at a promising time for first-time buyers too. 'The falling interest rates over the last 12 months has helped drive down mortgage rates and drive up property prices - and the forecast base rate cut in August should continue that trend. 'We are confident house prices will continue to rise into next year, meaning your home at the start of 2026 will be worth more than it is today.' Robert Nichols, managing director of Purplebricks Mortgages said: 'This is the best time to be a first-time buyer in recent years. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Lower interest rates, means lower mortgage rates. And, while that is pushing up house prices, it also acts as a confidence booster to would-be buyers that owning property pays dividends. 'And, the government's new 'Helping Hand' scheme for first-time buyers - making more mortgages available at 4.5 times a buyer's income - will drive more movement in the market.'
The Herald Scotland
an hour ago
- The Herald Scotland
Financial firms warn Scottish tax regime puts growth at risk
The latest report from EY has a stark warning for John Swinney from inside Scotland's financial sector. It's a warning the First Minister has heard before: high taxes are making the country less competitive. Some 46% of 70 senior industry figures surveyed said Scotland's tax rates were putting the sector at a disadvantage compared to international peers. In fact, more than two-fifths — 42% — said Scotland's tax rules for high earners were its biggest disadvantage compared to other countries. In the 2023 Budget, the SNP introduced a new 'advanced' rate of 45% on incomes between £75,000 and £125,140, and increased the top rate to 48%. Those earning less than £30,300 — around 51% of Scottish taxpayers — will pay slightly less income tax in 2025–26 than if they lived elsewhere in the UK. Sign up to Scotland's top politics newsletter and get it directly to your inbox. Taxpayers earning the median income of £29,800 will be £5 better off than if they lived south of the Border. However, a taxpayer with an income of £50,000 pays £1,528 more a year in Scotland than in the rest of the UK, while someone on £100,000 pays £3,332 more, and someone on £125,000 pays £5,221 more — equivalent to a 7% cut in take-home pay. Given that the average annual salary in Scotland's financial services industry is £43,000, the report warns that these levels of taxation 'are likely to have a disproportionate impact on the financial services industry, with the potential to affect talent attraction and retention across all levels of the workforce.' 'What you're starting to hear now is the phrase 'Scottish allowance' or 'Scottish premium'. I would say that's starting to become a real issue,' Sandy Begbie, Chief Executive of Scottish Financial Enterprise, told EY. The consultancy recommends 'changes to the personal tax regime to address disparities between Scotland and the wider UK, and beyond'. But is there any enthusiasm for tax cuts? READ MORE FROM UNSPUN: Well, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has already said he would do something along those lines if he moves into Bute House next year. While he shied away from committing to end the cross-border divergence on tax when speaking to The Herald at the start of the month, he did say there would be 'closer alignment'. To be fair, John Swinney also wants closer alignment — it's just that he wants the UK Government to move closer to the Scottish Government. Whoever wins next year will need to find a way to tackle the £5 billion black hole in the budget. Updated forecasts from the Scottish Fiscal Commission (SFC) a few weeks ago warned of a £2.6bn gap in resource spending and £2.1bn in capital spending. Currently, those higher tax rates — which mean around £1.2bn extra a year for the Scottish Government's coffers — help chip away at it. However, one of the other key means of tackling it is through growth. Pillar 2 of the SNP administration's new Fiscal Sustainability Delivery Plan is to increase business activity, employment and wages. But businesses say that that growing of the economy is unlikely without tax cuts. That the Scottish Government's current progressive tax rates mean investors hesitating, start-ups scaling elsewhere, and talented workers choosing London or Luxembourg over Leith. That's the challenge for any party boss. How do you balance the books without sacrificing fairness for taxpayers and pushing business out the doors?
