Tuesday March 3rd 2026
Proposed new Center Parcs
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Paul Kelly
A vital step in the development of a £450m Borders holiday village has been agreed after Scottish Ministers endorsed restrictions on ‘rights to roam’.
A new byelaw requested by Scottish Borders Council will restrict public access to land at Huntlaw and Muirfield Farm at Hassendean near Hawick – the site of Scotland’s first Center Parcs.
This marks a key step in regulating land access for the holiday village, following the council’s recent approval of the development.
Councillors had previously unanimously agreed to make the byelaw and to undertake a statutory consultation process.
The byelaw will come into operation next month.
Councillor Euan Jardine, leader of Scottish Borders Council, said: “We warmly welcome the decision by Scottish Ministers to grant the new byelaw, which recognises the careful and balanced approach taken by the council in considering the needs of Center Parcs as it makes this major investment in the Scottish Borders, alongside the rights and traditions of public access in Scotland.
“We appreciate Ministers’ acknowledgement of the extensive work undertaken to address the concerns raised by access groups and local residents, and their agreement that these can be appropriately mitigated through the proposals put forward.
“This positive decision provides clarity and confidence for the project to move forward, bringing significant economic and employment opportunities to the Borders, while ensuring our communities and environment are respected.”
It is anticipated the new holiday village will open in the summer 2029.
The resort is expected to support 750–800 jobs during construction and create around 1,200 permanent roles once operational, delivering an estimated £75 million per year to the Borders economy, including £8.8 million in tourism spend.
Councillors agreed there was an ‘exceptional case’ for the byelaw to be introduced.
Center Parcs say it is needed to guarantee the security of the site.
Members were informed that the earmarked land is currently is not used to any great extent by walkers, although there is some equestrian use.
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