Changes made to Center Parcs plans for first holiday village in Scotland following feedback from communities
Last updated 25th Apr 2025
The CEO of Center Parcs says "good progress" is being made on its plans for a new 700-lodge holiday village in the Scottish Borders.
Colin McKinlay met locals at the third of four statutory community consultation events in Selkirk yesterday (Thursday), ahead of an official planning application being submitted this summer.
He revealed changes to the masterplan have already been made based on feedback from local communities.
And he's encouraging more people to have their say ahead of the final public consultation event, at the rugby club in Hawick, on May 20th.
"We would welcome as many people as possible to come and see what should be reasonably final plans at that stage," Colin told Greatest Hits Radio.
"And then we'll submit an application - hopefully towards the end of June/early July - and then we're in the hands of the process thereafter; So, we're on track from our side."
Tree trekking, adventure golf, and a zip wire are all included in the updated masterplan for the site, which sits just off the A7, north of Hawick.
The £400 million development - which is also set to boast a Subtropical Swimming Paradise, boating lake, and spa - is expected to create up to 2,000 jobs - 1,200 of those permanent.
Mr McKinlay said: "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.
"Based on the feedback we've had so far, we have adapted the plans - we've made changes to the design, (and) the location of lodges; so it's really important that we get as much feedback as possible before we submit our planning application."
If approved, work could start early next year - with the first visitors arriving in 2028.
The holiday village would be Center Parcs first in Scotland and is anticipated to attract 250,000 people to the area a year - generating around £27 million spend in the local economy annually.
Selkirk Community Council has voiced its support for the development. But planning spokesperson Ian King admits he does have some concerns over the increase in traffic travelling through the town to reach the site.
"One of the benefits that Selkirk might achieve is if it's more justified to have a bypass, and the flow of traffic and the connection to transport links etc will be improved," he told us on a visit to the consultation event.
"But the local roads round the Center Parcs site are going to be heavily hit, and the heritage and the character of the Borders landscape is going to be badly damaged if it's not treated very, very carefully.
"Certainly the job opportunities and making people more aware of the Borders is a significant benefit. But, if we end up with a moated and an insular development which employs people but then doesn't allow people who are enjoying the facilities to come out and see the adjoining parts of the Borders, then there's very little benefit after the employment."
While Center Parcs is working with Transport Scotland and the local roads authority on a Transport Impact Assessment, it has revealed a working group’s been set up to discuss the inclusion of a nature and heritage centre on the site, which celebrates the Borders and, it’s hoped, could encourage visitors to stay and explore the area for longer.
Local landscape architect Paul Hogarth is the community liaison officer for the project, and chaired a brainstorming session with representatives from the local tourism industry.
Mr Hogarth said: "The key thing that we had come out of the last two consultation meetings was the fact that it's very, very important that this becomes a Scottish Borders project, and that everything that actually ends up on this site says something about the culture, the heritage and the history of the place."
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