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How do Borderers view Scotland's first Center Parcs?

David Knox
BBC Scotland News
BBC A woman with wavy brown hair, a colourful scarf and blue jacket is smiling at the camera, with doors behind herBBC
Businesswoman Laura Middlemass said the project could help boost the economy

Plans for a £400m holiday village in the Scottish Borders appear to have received an overwhelming vote of confidence from nearby communities.

Center Parcs marked the submission of an official Proposal of Application Notice (PAN) to the local planning department by hosting a drop-in day.

Comments and feedback from attendees during the eight-hour event were almost entirely positive.

Center Parcs chief executive Colin McKinlay said: "We have been thrilled by the reception we've had - not just today but ever since we announced our intentions to come to Scotland last November."

A grey-haired man with a charcoal zipped up jacked look at the camera
Ronald Duffy from Hawick said Center Parcs could make the Borders a destination in its own right

Center Parcs wants to erect 700 lodges and accompanying tourist facilities on a site to the north of Hawick.

About 1,200 permanent jobs are being promised within the holiday park - and a further 800 jobs will be supported during the construction phase.

Concerns over additional traffic and its environmental impact have been previously expressed, but during the first community consultation event at Hawick Rugby Club on Wednesday the mood was almost entirely positive.

After visiting the Center Parcs community day, Ronald Duffy from Hawick said: "I thought farmers living nearby would be concerned as it would affect them, but even they seem very positive about what it will bring.

"At the moment a lot of people drive through the Borders heading north, but I think Center Parcs will make the area a destination in its own right."

A bald-headed man with a grey beard, who's wearing a black jacket and white shirt, is smiling at the camera. A rugby pitch and stand are in the background
Center Parcs' Colin McKinlay was delighted with the public response to the plans

To coincide with the planning notice being submitted to Scottish Borders Council, the company is embarking on a series of consultation events in the area.

A full planning application is scheduled for submission this summer with long-term plans in place, if permission is granted, for work to begin at the start of 2027.

Mr McKinlay added: "We are not presuming we are just going to be given planning permission, we are here to listen to what the communities around the site think.

"We want to be here for the long-term and that means making sure it works for everyone."

A grey-haired man with a grey jacket looks at the camera. Behind him are doors to a function suite
Brian Emmerson from Hawick said the holiday park could draw in visitors

Laura Middlemass, who is a member of the Borders Chamber of Commerce, was impressed with what she saw and heard at the drop-in event.

She said: "This is a fantastic opportunity for the Scottish Borders.

"Center Parcs seems to be very invested in helping local business, and that's a good thing."

Hawick resident Brian Emmerson is also supportive of the plans for a holiday village outside his home town.

He said: "This will be a great boost for the local economy with all the jobs it's creating, and it will put Hawick on the tourist map."