Blow for €100 million Center Parcs expansion plan

The fate of a €100 million expansion of Center Parcs holiday village, near Ballymahon, will not be known until next year after two appeals were lodged with An Bord Pleanála in a bid to overturn planning approval.

The planning appeals board has indicated today (Thursday) that third party appeals have been lodged against the proposed development and they are named on the case file as PJ Walsh and Sustainability 2050.

Only three years after it first opened, Longford County Council gave the green light to a €100 million expansion of Center Parcs Longford Forest holiday resort on September 27 last, subject to compliance with over 20 planning conditions.

What's earmarked in the extension of the €233m popular forest holiday village is 198 new lodges, a lakeside restaurant and a coffee shop. Extensions to the hugely popular Subtropical Swimming Paradise and Aqua Sana spa form another substantial element of the approved plans for the site at Newcastle Wood, which includes a new treetop sauna and additional treatment rooms. Leisure and food and beverage facilities will also be expanded to accommodate more guests.

Nine submissions were lodged in connection with the ambitious proposal by the short-break holiday company, giving a mixture of positive and negative reviews of the development plans by the company.

In his submission during the local planning process, PJ Walsh drew attention to the existing infrastructure being under pressure in the area, particularly roads, and the water supply. He also raised the issue of the site's proximity to the former Ballymulvey landfill and his concerns about the location and condition of asbestos material buried on-site.

The UK-based short-break holiday firm previously confirmed that the planned expansion would bring the capacity of the Ballymahon forest village, which opened in the summer of 2019, up to 3,500 when it is full.

Center Parcs currently employs 1,119 people at Longford Forest, an economic report in support of the planning application earlier stated, adding that the planned expansion is expected to increase the number of employees by 280. It's estimated the development would also generate around 300 jobs during the construction phase.

The expansion had initially been billed as representing an €85m investment, but the economic report included in the local planning file put the current figure at €99.8m.

Once operational, the additional capacity at Longford Forest is estimated to lead to an increase of €27 million per annum to Irish GDP, the planning documents also showed.

The case is not due to be decided until March 2, 2023, according to An Bord Pleanála website.