Center Parcs pull out of Crawley development plans

Center Parcs CEO Colin McKinlay said the company is committed to improving the biodiversity of all its sites

Center Parcs has announced it will not go ahead with plans to develop a new forest holiday village in West Sussex.

In July 2021, the company secured an option agreement to acquire Oldhouse Warren, a privately owned woodland on the outskirts of Crawley.

It said the site was found to be not suitable after "rigorous environmental and ecological site surveys".

Center Parcs CEO Colin McKinlay said the company was committed to improving the biodiversity of its sites.

"Whilst it is obviously disappointing that we will not be able to bring Center Parcs to this part of West Sussex, this decision demonstrates how seriously we take our responsibility to the environment, as well as our ongoing commitment to enhancing the natural habitats in which our villages are located," he said.

"Through our customer insights, we are confident that there is strong demand in the UK market for a sixth Center Parcs village and, with this in mind, we will continue our search for a suitable site."

If the development had gone ahead, it would have created 1,500 permanent jobs once operational - and a further 1,000 jobs during construction.

The proposed development included up to 900 lodges, leisure facilities and a swimming pool.

Environmentalists previously said the site would destroy established woodland and damage the habitats of rare birds.

Dave Bangs, from environmental group Landscapes Of Freedom, said it was a "fantastic victory" for local residents and for nature.

"Oldhouse Warren has long been known as an extraordinarily important site for wildlife," he told BBC Radio Sussex.

Crawley Borough Council leader Michael Jones welcomed the decision, stating that the site was an "entirely inappropriate location".

"The environmental impact locally would have been extremely damaging. Going forward, I wish them well in finding a suitable sixth location," he said.

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