Red Letter Year For Center Parcs
2014 is set to be a red letter year for Center Parcs as it takes the wraps off its new 365 acre site at Woburn Forest, the fifth of its UK villages.
The £250 million Woburn Forest village will comprise of 625 forest lodges, a 75 bedroom hotel, a spa with associated spa suites and two leisure buildings including indoor sports facilities, restaurants and retail outlets. It will also include outdoor sports and leisure facilities and a 17,000m² lake.
A spokesperson for Center Parcs reveals: “Each of our villages have their own distinct characteristics and Woburn Forest is no different – it is an undulating area of forest and its own unique mixture of local wildlife.
“All of the leisure buildings and lodges are uniquely designed and built to nestle into the landscape to be close to nature. The subtropical swimming paradise is a completely new design, with a glazed front and curved shape to fit into the land behind it.”
An iconic part of all Center Parcs villages, the subtropical swimming paradises are one of the most popular elements of a Center Parcs break, with over 90% of guests visiting the swimming venue during their stay.
In spite of Woburn Forest being the smallest Center Parcs village, it will have the largest subtropical pool facility in the UK, featuring the Wild Water Rapids outside with views of the forest landscape. The Woburn water facilities will include a wave pool, toddler pool, family play area, lazy river and three new water rides that will be unique to Woburn Forest.
Charles Neuman of Water Technology Inc. who designed the Woburn Forest pool said: “The designs of the new subtropical swimming paradise are the result of a culmination of 25 years of experience and lots of research into what modern families want. We have taken the best from the existing four villages and added new exciting elements to give guests at Woburn Forest a unique and special water experience.”
Construction of the village began in September 2012 and has remained on track, despite the challenging winter weather conditions. The buildings will all be water-tight by the end of the year with many of the final touches and preparations happening in early 2014.
Once completed in the spring, Woburn Forest is expected to welcome over 400,000 visitors per year and will employ 1,500 staff on a permanent basis, the majority of whom, from the local area.