Center Parcs reveals 'unique challenge' it faces drawing up plans for first holiday village in Scotland
Center Parcs says its masterplan for a new holiday village in the Scottish Borders "will continue to evolve - based on public feedback", before a final version is submitted as part of a planning application this summer.
As well as 700 lodges and a man-made loch designed for sports and recreational activities, the proposals - for a site just off the A7, around three miles north of Hawick - also include an indoor waterpark, forest spa and aqua sauna.
Previous plans revealed that the parks lodges will be split into six designated zones.
Accommodation options will include woodland cabins and treehouses.
The designs include heritage and activity zones as well as dining areas.
But the leisure giant has moved to ease concerns over the impact the £400 million development could have on local wildlife following a drop-in event in Denholm yesterday (Wednesday).
David Stevenson is a director at construction consultancy Edmond Shipway, who have been appointed project managers for the development.
His firm has worked with Center Parcs for over 25 years, including on its most recent village - Longford Forest - in Ireland, which opened in 2019.
"Every village is an evolution so we try and do something better or different, or more innovative each time," he told Greatest Hits Radio. "We're taking the best practice from all our existing villages, with the learnings that we have in terms of how we actually go about delivering one of these, and put all that in the melting pot to come up with this masterplan.
"The unique challenge we have with this village is we plan to plant our own forest, whereas the others were built within 400 acres of commercial woodland. So, we've got a different way of looking at this scheme.
"We've wanted for a long time now to grow our own forest and for the guests to feel part of that process.
"As the awareness of ecology has moved on, taking down trees has become less popular, even if it is commercial woodland."
Center Parcs has revealed it plans to plant 1,000 trees in an area of open grassland.
Mr Stevenson said: "One of the challenges we have here is shielding this development from the various views that we have, and given the topography of the Borders that's not necessarily easy, because we have high points surrounding it.
"So we've nestled the buildings in, around the existing woodland. We've hidden it behind hills, like Crow Hill, and we've also nestled it into the topography - sunk it in - so the views from the A7 and surrounding area have been dramatically reduced.
"Then we'll be looking at visualising the growth of the forest over the years, to demonstrate how eventually it will be hidden."
And he added: "The biodiversity net gain that we will achieve - we achieve it on every site, but here in particular, with the opportunity for guests to be part of planting this forest - is absolutely phenomenal."
The holiday village would be Center Parcs first in Scotland and is anticipated to attract 250,000 visitors a year - generating around £27 million spend in the local economy annually.
If approved, the development is expected to create 1,200 permanent jobs, and support a further 800 during the construction phase.
More details are expected to be released at future drop-in events at the rugby clubs in Selkirk (April 24th) and Hawick (May 20th) - both between 2pm and 7pm.
A further open day event is planned to follow at Hawick Rugby Club on Wednesday, May 21st - between 11am and 7pm.
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Attending the event in Denholm, Colin McKinlay, chief executive of Center Parcs, said: "This first step towards applying for planning permission to realise our vision is an extremely important moment for us, and we are fully committed to a thorough programme of community engagement and consultation before the full planning application is submitted.
“We know from experience the significant economic and social benefits a Center Parcs village brings to the local area, and we are excited at the prospect of bringing a Center Parcs village to the Scottish Borders, creating a fantastic destination for families.
“We have already received extremely valuable feedback from the community, and we want to ensure that as many local people as possible see what we propose and are able to ask questions and provide feedback.”
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