Center Parcs to submit planning application this week

Center Parcs will submit a formal planning application ahead of its proposed €200m holiday village in Ballymahon later this week.

Design officials are putting the finishing touches to the long awaited submission, which is expected to be handed in to Longford County Council on Friday.

The application will seek to build 470 lodges; a 3 storey apartment building with 30 bedrooms; central buildings incorporating swimming pool area and facilities, external pools, rapids, flumes and water rides, sports hall, leisure activities, bowling alley, ancillary shops, food and beverage outlets, as well as Aqua Sana Spa including treatment rooms.

The application will include a pancake house restaurant, a beach kiosk , outdoor activity centre as well as the refurbishment and extension of the Herdsman’s hut ruins to create a Nature Centre building.

Ahead of its planned opening in 2019, Center Parcs plans to create 750 jobs during construction and further 1,000 positions when the village is up and running.

Speaking as he met with local politicians at its Woburn site in the UK in August, Center Parcs CEO Martin Dalby vowed to transform the region’s economic fortunes for the better.

“The park at Ballymahon over 20 years will contribute over €1bn to the Irish economy in terms of GDP,” he said.

When submitted, the application can be viewed at Longford County Council headquarters in Longford town.

The UK leisure giant held a series of public engagement days since details of its planned expansion to Ireland was announced last April.