Center Parcs submit planning application
Center Parcs has formally submitted a planning application to Longford County Council today, seeking approval to develop the planned Longford Forest holiday village on a 395 acre site at Newcastle Wood, Ballymahon as part of a €233 million investment.
The planning application outlines the transformative impact that Center Parcs Longford Forest could have at a county, regional and national level, creating 1,000 permanent jobs once the village is operational as well as another 300 spin-off jobs in the local economy. The UK-based company estimates that the two-year build will also create 750 construction jobs.
In April this year, Center Parcs announced that it had selected Longford as the location for its first holiday village in Ireland, where it will provide forest breaks in a secluded and natural Irish woodland setting.
Since then, Center Parcs has engaged in extensive and ongoing consultation with the local community to develop the proposed plans for the €233million forest holiday village.
Center Parcs CEO Martin Dalby said: “The submission of our planning application today is a key milestone in our ambition to bring Center Parcs to Ireland. This is one of the biggest tourism developments in the history of the Midlands and will have a hugely positive economic impact on the area”.
“We have more than 28 years’ experience in the UK and I’m genuinely excited about the prospect of bringing that quality short break experience to Ireland.”
Center Parcs Longford Forest will bring together the high quality features for which Center Parcs is renowned, including 470 Lodges and 30 apartments designed with families and the environment in mind, more than 100 indoor and outdoor activities, a spa, a range of restaurants and cafés, shops and the iconic Subtropical Swimming Paradise, with water rides and fun for all ages.
Longford County Council will now undertake a five-week period of consultation, during which time the Center Parcs plans will be on public display at the Council office.
Subject to receiving satisfactory planning permission, Center Parcs Longford Forest could open to guests in 2019 and estimates that the holiday village will attract a 250,000 visitors each year.