John

Center Parcs has won a planning appeal to build a fifth holiday village at Warren Wood, near Woburn in Bedfordshire.

The company is to spend £200 million on the development of its the site, Center Parcs Warren Wood, which is due to open in 2010.

The new village will be built in an area of woodland, currently managed for commercial forestry use by the Bedford Estate.

Center Parcs Warren Wood will comprise 700 forest villas, a 75-bed hotel and spa with 12 associated spa apartments and two main centres including indoor sports, swimming pool, restaurants and retail outlets. It will also include outdoor sports and leisure facilities and a lake.

The development will create 1,400 jobs among other economic benefits, according to the company.

Work on the new site is due to start early next year and the village is due to open and the end of 2010.

The company already runs sites in Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire; Elveden Forest, Suffolk; Longleat Forest, Wiltshire and Whinfell Forest, Cumbria, employing more than 6,000 people and attracting 1.5 million holidaymakers a year.

Center Parcs chief executive Martin Dalby said: "We are delighted that planning approval has been granted for our fifth Center Parcs.

"The new Center Parcs village near Woburn will generate significant local economic benefit including the creation of new jobs and further investment into the region. It will attract a greater number of visitors to local sites and amenities in and around Bedfordshire.

"Our philosophy is to make our villages and their environment sustainable which has been widely recognised given the support we have received for this development from a whole range of organisations.

"We believe this is a very exciting project and we look forward to continuing to update local organisations as our plans and development of the village progress."

(Travelmole)

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