First Scottish Center Parcs recommended for approval

Planning officials in the Borders are recommending proposals for Scotland's first Center Parcs holiday village are given approval.

As well as 700 holiday lodges, the development would feature newly-created lochs, nature trails and a woodland, as well as an indoor swimming complex, a health spa, outdoor activities, shops and restaurants.

The planned £450m development near Hawick has attracted objections from about 40 people living near to the farmland site.

However, officers say they are satisfied with the detailed bid - and believe members of the planning committee on Scottish Borders Council (SBC) can give the green light for builders to be on site next year.

Lead planning officer Barry Fotheringham said: "The proposals justify a clear requirement for a large rural site located outwith any settlement and there are demonstrable economic and social benefits, not just to the Scottish Borders region but to Scotland as a whole."

While the plans have been met with widespread support from economic and tourism bodies, the scale of the development has been questioned by many living nearby.

A total of 40 objections have been received, with concerns being raised over visual and landscape impact, noise and lighting pollution, loss of farmland, additional traffic, and restricted access.

However, planning officers have concluded that the application from Center Parcs has mitigated against these issues, and provided a strong case for a countryside development.

Mr Fotheringham added: "Given the scale and size of the development, it is accepted that there will be impacts but having regard to the mitigating factors set out in the accompanying documentation submitted with the application, the proposals will not have an adverse impact on the landscape or the environment.

"There will be a negligible impact on the residential amenity of neighbouring properties, impacts on the surrounding road network are limited.

"The proposal, which represents a £450m investment in the region, has the potential to be transformational in the context of the Borders economy, delivering year-round quality jobs as well as hundreds of thousands of new visitors annually, and is likely to act as a catalyst for wider economic regeneration."

Merlin Lewis, who lives on the family farm which neighbours the 988-acre (400 ha) Center Parcs site, has fought against the development since it was announced in November, 2024.

He said: "It can't be understated how this will affect the viability of our farm or other farms around here on so many levels.

"This is going to have a devastating impact on our family home and the homes of our neighbours.

"Life here will never be the same again."

Center Parcs already operates six holiday parks across the UK and Ireland.

The company had considered several sites before announcing Hassendean, outside Hawick, as the chosen location for its first village in Scotland.

As well as supporting about 800 jobs during the construction phase, the park will create about 1,200 permanent positions once open.

Economic officers at SBC forecast the village will attract more than 350,000 visitors to the region each year - and the additional jobs will inject a further £30-£40m annually into the local economy.

During an earlier consultation event Center Parcs chief executive Colin McKinlay said that if planning permission was granted before the end of this year, he hoped to be welcoming the first visitors in early 2029.

He stated: "If we're successful, I would envisage us moving forward to a programme that would start building probably early in 2027 and hopefully opening as early as spring 2029."

SBC's planning committee will meet to decide the application's fate on 8 December.