Center Parcs to open fifth site at Woburn

Center Parcs has announced it is opening a fifth holiday village, creating 1,500 permanent jobs and providing employment for 1,200 construction staff, at Woburn.

Center Parcs Woburn Forest is due to open in spring 2014.

Prime Minister David Cameron has backed the project, saying: “Center Parcs is much loved by many and this new site is not only great news for holiday makers but great news for the economy too. This expansion and the jobs that it brings will be a real boost to growth and a sign of the increasing investor confidence that there is too.”

Work will start in the next few months and Center Parcs claims it is one of the largest construction projects of its kind in Britain for several years.

Despite a tough economy, Center Parcs’ most recent accounts show its existing four holiday villages saw sales increase by 4% in the year to April 2011 to £290.5m. Pre-tax profits increased 17% to £28.9m.

Center Parcs Woburn Forest will offer 625 lodges, a 75 bed hotel, spa and two recreation centres offering indoor sports facilities, swimming pool and restaurants.