Longford jobs unaffected by Center Parcs takeover

The acquisition of Center Parcs UK by one of the world’s largest commercial real estate companies will have no impact on plans to bring 1,000 permanent jobs to the Midlands as part of its first venture into the Irish market.

The British-based holiday resort group has been snapped up for an undisclosed fee by Canadian Brookfield Property Partners.

The takeover will not impact Center Parcs in any way, nor will it scupper plans to bring the group’s first Irish holiday village to Ballymahon, Co Longford, as previously announced.

“Our proposed development in Ballymahon is entirely unaffected by today’s announcement,” a spokesperson for Center Parcs confirmed to the Irish Examiner.

“We remain completely committed to bringing Center Parcs to Ireland.”

It is understood that the company’s new owners share this opinion and will back management in bringing the €200m development to fruition.

The leisure company has indicated that the development will create 750 jobs during construction and up to 1,000 permanent jobs once completed.

The resort is expected to include 500 lodges catering for up to 2,500 guests. In addition, the development will include a swimming pool, spa, and restaurant and a bar which will be built close to the River Inny following an agreement with Coillte which owns the 375-acre site.

Center Parcs estimates that when operational the new holiday village will add about €32m to Irish GDP per annum.

Center Parcs operates five short-break destinations across the UK: Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire; Elveden Forest, Suffolk; Longleat Forest, Wiltshire; Whinfell Forest, Cumbria; and Woburn Forest, Bedfordshire.

The concept originated in Holland in 1967, with Sherwood Forest opening in the UK in 1987.

Each Center Parcs is situated within 400 or so acres of protected woodland.

Center Parcs UK is a separate entity to Center Parcs Europe and has occupancy levels averaging about 97% over the last five years.