Center Parcs Warren Wood
Encyclopedia
Center Parcs Woburn Forest is a new holiday village
that will be constructed in woodland on the outskirts of Flitwick and Ampthill (7–8 miles from the Town of Woburn
) in Bedfordshire
in the UK.
. It would be seeking planning permission and had already completed the signing of a lease on the land from its owner, the Duke of Bedford
. The project was at first expected to cost approximately £160 million, including the construction of accommodation, indoor and outdoor facilities, sub-tropical swimming complex, restaurants and a spa but this has since risen to £230m.
Planning permission for this build was initially refused by Mid Bedfordshire District Council on the grounds that the project breached policy safeguarding Metropolitan Green Belt
land. The company appealed against the decision, and the inspector
hearing the appeal recommended that the Council's decision be upheld. However, Secretary of State Hazel Blears
overruled the inspector's advice. She acknowledged that the scheme breached both local and national policies on safeguarding Green Belt, but argued that "in this particular case, the economic and employment benefits of the proposal, when taken together with the ecological and biodiversity benefits... constitute very special circumstances and are sufficient to clearly outweigh the harm to Green Belt".
Center Parcs will wait to see the reaction to Warren Wood before contemplating further villages in the United Kingdom.
Before Center Parcs can start construction, there are a number of planning conditions that must be satisfied, most notably the improvement of local road junctions to allow smooth access to the Village. They also need to submit a local employment strategy, local purchasing policy and a forest and ecology management plan. With all this in mind, the new Village could be open by late 2013.
The planning permission has been approved for the development.
This represents final approval of the detailed designs of buildings and landscape as well as local sourcing, employment strategies and green travel plan. The next stage of the project will be the construction of a new roundabout (procurement will commence in early 2011), as well as the diversion of the public rights of way that cross the site.
Holiday village
A holiday village is a park, that is developed as a holiday resort in which the visitors stay in villas. There is a central area with shops, entertainment and other amenities. One of the most well known chains of holiday villages is Center Parcs.A holiday village is also a system of club hotels...
that will be constructed in woodland on the outskirts of Flitwick and Ampthill (7–8 miles from the Town of Woburn
Woburn, Bedfordshire
Woburn is a small Saxon village and civil parish in Bedfordshire, England. It is situated about southeast of the centre of Milton Keynes, and about south of junction 13 of the M1 motorway and is a popular tourist attraction.-History:...
) in Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire is a ceremonial county of historic origin in England that forms part of the East of England region.It borders Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Northamptonshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the west and Hertfordshire to the south-east....
in the UK.
Planning application
In December 2004, Center Parcs announced that it had identified a location for a fifth UK site, at Warren Wood near Flitwick, BedfordshireBedfordshire
Bedfordshire is a ceremonial county of historic origin in England that forms part of the East of England region.It borders Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Northamptonshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the west and Hertfordshire to the south-east....
. It would be seeking planning permission and had already completed the signing of a lease on the land from its owner, the Duke of Bedford
Duke of Bedford
thumb|right|240px|William Russell, 1st Duke of BedfordDuke of Bedford is a title that has been created five times in the Peerage of England. The first creation came in 1414 in favour of Henry IV's third son, John, who later served as regent of France. He was made Earl of Kendal at the same time...
. The project was at first expected to cost approximately £160 million, including the construction of accommodation, indoor and outdoor facilities, sub-tropical swimming complex, restaurants and a spa but this has since risen to £230m.
Planning permission for this build was initially refused by Mid Bedfordshire District Council on the grounds that the project breached policy safeguarding Metropolitan Green Belt
Metropolitan Green Belt
The Metropolitan Green Belt is a statutory green belt around London, England. It includes designated parts of Greater London and the surrounding counties of Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Kent and Surrey in the South East and East of England regions.-History:The...
land. The company appealed against the decision, and the inspector
Planning Inspectorate
The Planning Inspectorate for England and Wales is an executive agency of the Department for Communities and Local Government of the United Kingdom Government. It is responsible for determining final outcomes of planning and enforcement appeals and public examination of local development plans...
hearing the appeal recommended that the Council's decision be upheld. However, Secretary of State Hazel Blears
Hazel Blears
Hazel Anne Blears is a British Labour Party politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for Salford and Eccles since 2010 and was previously the MP for Salford since 1997...
overruled the inspector's advice. She acknowledged that the scheme breached both local and national policies on safeguarding Green Belt, but argued that "in this particular case, the economic and employment benefits of the proposal, when taken together with the ecological and biodiversity benefits... constitute very special circumstances and are sufficient to clearly outweigh the harm to Green Belt".
Center Parcs will wait to see the reaction to Warren Wood before contemplating further villages in the United Kingdom.
Before Center Parcs can start construction, there are a number of planning conditions that must be satisfied, most notably the improvement of local road junctions to allow smooth access to the Village. They also need to submit a local employment strategy, local purchasing policy and a forest and ecology management plan. With all this in mind, the new Village could be open by late 2013.
The planning permission has been approved for the development.
This represents final approval of the detailed designs of buildings and landscape as well as local sourcing, employment strategies and green travel plan. The next stage of the project will be the construction of a new roundabout (procurement will commence in early 2011), as well as the diversion of the public rights of way that cross the site.
The plans
The site will be slightly smaller than its other four sites at 375 acres (1.5 km²). It will include:- 700 villas
- 75 bedroom hotel
- Aqua Sana & 12 bedroom spa accommodation
- Two main centres with restaurants, retail outlets and Subtropical Swimming Paradise
- 1400 space car park
- Hard/Soft Landscaping & Lake
- Activity areas
- Nature Centre