Work is officially underway at Center Parcs’ new £450 million village in Scotland after First Minister John Swinney planted the first trees on the site.
The new village – named Center Parcs Scottish Borders – will be located in the south of Scotland between the towns of Hawick and Selkirk, and is expected to open in summer 2029.
It will be the first new village since the opening of Longford Forest in Ireland in 2019.
The Center Parcs will feature up to 700 lodges and apartments, the iconic Subtropical Swimming Paradise, a Village Centre with shops and restaurants, and the Aqua Sana Forest Spa.
It will also include two newly created lochs designed for water sports and recreation, as well as a combined Nature and Heritage Centre with wildflower meadows, nature trails, and wetlands to promote biodiversity.
In true Center Parcs style, there will also be a wide range of outdoor activities integrated into the landscape.
For the first time ever, Center Parcs is developing a new site by creating a forest from scratch, planting hundreds of thousands of trees to transform the landscape.
Over the coming months, more than 30 species of trees and plants – including Scots pine, silver birch and aspen – will be planted to prepare for the primary construction phase.
First Minister John Swinney (pictured, left, with Center Parcs’ CEO Colin McKinlay) got work on Center Parcs Scottish Borders village by planting the first trees on the site last week
Center Parcs Scottish Borders, expected to open in summer 2029, will be located in the south of Scotland between the towns of Hawick and Selkirk
Mr Swinney, joined by pupils from Trinity Primary School and Stirches Primary School, marked the beginning of afforestation at the site, which will see 30 species of trees planted
Accompanied by schoolchildren from the Borders, as well as Center Parcs’ CEO Colin McKinlay, Mr Swinney marked the beginning of afforestation at the site last week, where select species will be planted to create a vibrant, thriving woodland.
Led by pupils from Trinity Primary School and Stirches Primary School, the first planting took place ahead of a community drop-in meeting at Hawick Town Hall – the first since the Scottish Borders Council approved the project in December.
To help spread the afforestation benefit into the wider community, students were gifted a silver birch sapling to take home with them.
Mr McKinlay, the boss of Center Parcs, said: ‘This marks another momentous milestone in the creation of Center Parcs Scottish Borders and it is fantastic that the First Minister and local schoolchildren were able to join us as we begin work on site.
‘It was hugely important for us to involve local children today because the benefits Center Parcs Scottish Borders will bring will have a long-lasting and transformative effect on the future of this area in terms of jobs, the economy and the environment.
‘The saplings the children will take home today are a true reflection of the positive benefits Center Parcs brings to an area – we create villages that really benefit the local community, where that positivity ripples out beyond our boundaries and into local towns, schools, businesses and homes. And, like the trees we’ve planted today, we intend to be here for many years to come.
‘We are very grateful for the support of the Scottish Government, Scottish Borders Council, South of Scotland Enterprise and many other partners who have worked with us to unlock the potential of this project, and it is incredibly exciting to see work at the site now getting underway.’
The occasion commemorated a major milestone in the creation of the village, which has been met with scrutiny from the local community, with McKinlay facing questions from residents at Hawick Town Hall earlier this month.
Scottish Borders will generate jobs for over 1,200 people once it opens in 2029, all while contributing £75million each year to the Scottish Borders economy
The new village will include two newly created lochs designed for water sports and recreation
Guests can expect a tranquil retreat at Scottish Borders
The new site is expected to generate jobs for over 1,200 people while contributing £75million each year to the Scottish Borders economy, including £8.8million in tourism spend.
During the event, the First Minister confirmed the Scottish Government will provide up to £30 million for essential infrastructure to enable the new resort.
Mr Swinney said: ‘Economic growth must reach the people and places that need it most. Investing in the South of Scotland through this project is a direct expression of our belief that every part of Scotland deserves to benefit from a growing economy.
‘Investing here is a deliberate statement that we are serious about reducing regional inequality and creating genuine opportunity for young people – 30% of these 1,200 jobs are targeted at 16-to-24-year-olds.
‘It is a privilege to be here with local school children to start planting new trees for the site and I look forward to seeing the development of the project before the resort opens in 2029.’
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