Proposed new Center Parcs near Crawley is ‘great news for local economy and jobs’

The boss of Center Parcs has pledged to be ‘good neighbours’ as plans have been unveiled for a £350m site near Crawley.
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Martin Dalby, CEO of the holiday firm, said the ‘massive’ investment in the area with create 1,500 permanent jobs, boost youth employment and promote biodiversity.

Up to 900 lodges could be built in Worth with the development taking at least five years to complete, subject to planning permission being granted. Read more here

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Martin, 59, said: “People won’t really know we’re there. We will be good neighbours to everybody as we always are. It will just be good for everyone.”

This is what the proposed park could look likeThis is what the proposed park could look like
This is what the proposed park could look like

The new jobs created by the development will be year-round and permanent, Martin said.

He added: “Center Parcs is a special company. We’re like a big family. The majority of our employees are very proud to be involve in what we do.”

Martin said plans for the new sites have been in the pipeline for three and a half years, long before the coronavirus led to a boom in staycations.

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And he insisted the development will boost the local economy.

He added: “It’s going to benefit the local economy massively. We will be working with local business and suppliers where possible.

“We will be doing everything and anything possible to make the development as sustainable as we can.”

New trees will be planted on the site and care will be taken to improve biodiversity, he said.

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Martin added: “Young children who come from the towns and cities – they have never seen any of this stuff before.”

A planning application for the site is likely to be submitted next year, he said. And the development is ‘massively exciting’, Martin added.

He said: “It’s great news for the business, it’s great news for the local economy, it’s great news for jobs.”