It is hoped the building of a Center Parcs village in Worth will boost the local economy and jobs market.
553 acres of woodland off Balcome Road has been identified as a potential location which could bring in £40m a year locally as well as create around 1,500 permanent jobs.
But the plans have been met with opposition from environmentalists who say it will be displacing rare wildlife.
A statement from Center Parcs says:
We’re excited to announce that we have identified a site for a sixth Center Parcs village in the UK.
We have secured an option agreement to acquire 553 acres of woodland off Balcombe Road in Worth, West Sussex. The forest has been chosen because of its location (to the south of London) and its excellent transport links.
The development is expected to cost between £350m and £400m and will create around 1,500 permanent local jobs once operational, as well as around 1,000 jobs during construction. We anticipate the development would add an additional £40m to the local economy each year.
We will now begin working on rigorous site surveys, detailed designs and pre-planning works to make sure the woodland meets our specific requirements for a Center Parcs village, as well as beginning a programme of community engagement with the local area.
We are hoping to submit a planning application in 2022.
CEO Martin Dalby said: “It’s really exciting to have identified a potential site for another Center Parcs village in the UK. 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. The proposal we will be submitting will create a significant number of jobs and bring major benefits to the local and national economy.”
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