Center Parcs has announced that the construction of its 5th UK village, Woburn Forest in Bedfordshire, will commence in the next few weeks. The construction phase will last for approximately two years, with a scheduled opening date now set for spring 2014.
Set within 400 acres of woodland, Woburn Forest will feature a dedicated conference centre with modern facilities, as with the four existing UK villages the site will offer a stimulating environment in which to host conferences, awards dinners, exhibitions and team building events. The Bedfordshire location will make Woburn Forest the closest Center Parcs to London boasting a journey time within an hour, allowing Center Parcs to position their unique venue offering to clients within the capital and surrounding areas for the first time.
The project recently received backing from the Prime Minister, who recognised the economic importance of Woburn Forest. David Cameron commented “Center Parcs is much loved by many and this new site is not only great news for holiday makers but great news for the economy too. This expansion and the jobs that it brings will be a real boost to growth and a sign of the increasing investor confidence that there is too.”
Center Parcs Woburn Forest will create in excess of 1200 jobs during the construction phase alone, and then a further 1500 jobs once the village is open, the vast majority of which will be from the local area. The village will also provide a significant economic boost to the county.
Center Parcs Chief Executive Officer Martin Dalby said “We are delighted to be moving on to the next stage of this project, and to have a definite opening date of spring 2014.”
Center Parcs is recognised as being a unique choice for corporate events and team building, with four sites across the UK and a prestigious client list including Innocent, Sainsbury's and Gap. Center Parcs offers distinctive expertise in conferences and meetings, presenting solutions for everything from private board meetings to large conferences and gala dinners. Center Parcs also offers a wide range of team building activities. The tranquil natural woodland settings provide motivating environments for delegates, as Center Parcs takes a naturally creative approach to business.