Center Parcs has has identified a site for its sixth UK holiday village south of Gatwick.
The development at Worth, Crawley in West Sussex is expected to cost between £350 million and £400 million, creating about 1,500 permanent local jobs once operational and a further 1,000 jobs during construction.
The company has secured an option agreement to acquire privately owned 553-acres of woodland as a suitable site due to its location to the south of London and its transport links.
The compnay will now undertake rigorous site surveys and pre-planning works to ensure the woodland meets the specific requirements of a Center Parcs village, as well as carrying out a programme of community engagement with a view to submitting a planning application to the local authority in due course.
The site at Oldhouse Warren will include 900 lodges, a range of indoor and outdoor leisure facilities, a subtropical swimming zone, a restaurants, shops and a spa.
Center Parcs’ chief executive Martin Dalby, said: “It is really exciting to have identified a potential site for another Center Parcs village in the UK. The proposal we will be submitting will create a significant number of jobs and bring major benefits to the local and national economy.
“Today’s announcement marks the first step of a long journey and there is still a huge amount of work to be done before we can submit a planning application. As a business, we take our responsibility to the local community extremely seriously and look forward to sharing our plans as they progress.”
Brad Hyler, managing partner and head of European real estate at owner Brookfield Asset Management, said: “Center Parcs is the destination of choice for short breaks in the UK and as owners we are excited to support its expansion with plans for the sixth UK holiday village.
“We look forward to continuing to work with the Center Parcs team on delivering this exciting development and the economic benefits it will bring to the local area.”