Longford County Council has granted planning permission for the €232 million Center Parcs 'Longforest Forest' holiday village in Newcastle Wood, outside Ballymahon.

Planning permission was granted subject to 22 conditions, including a clause that Center Parcs will have to provide almost €1 million (€951,420) to Longford County Council as a contribution to the upgrading of public infrastructure in the area of the development.

The Center Parcs holiday village will be the biggest private tourism development in the State. It is due to be completed by 2019.

 

The development will create approximately 750 jobs during the construction phase. When operational, it will seek to employ up to 1,000 people in permanent jobs, with the majority of employees likely to live locally. It will have capacity for up to 2,500 guests.

It is to include 470 lodges and 30 apartments, indoor and outdoor activities, a spa, restaurants, cafés, shops and the Subtropical Swimming Paradise feature.

Center Parcs estimates that, when operational, the new holiday village will add approximately €32 million to Irish gross domestic product (GDP) per annum, and €1 billion over the next 20 years.