Vet chain promises jobs boost at new Livingston hospital

● Permission granted for ‘state-of-theart’ vet facility with potential for 110 jobs

International veterinary chain CVS Group is to build a new West Lothian facility which will potentially create more than 100 jobs.

The listed veterinary service provider, which owns more than 500 surgeries across the UK, Ireland and the Netherlands, is to build a “state-of-the-art” veterinary referrals hospital next to Livingston Trade Park.

It will be one of only eight referral practices in the UK and is expected to create up to 110 jobs.

The group has secured planning permission for a facility totalling 30,000 square feet on the 1.2-acre plot, which CVS purchased for £450,000 from industrial property developer and asset manager Chancerygate.

Plans also include the construction of a small animal practice and a specialist pathology laboratory.

The proposed facility will sit adjacent to Chancerygate’s Livingston Trade Park, the developer’ s first speculative scheme in Scotland, which is expected to generate additional employment opportunities.

CVS Group property development director Darren Oxley said :“Our new Livingston premises is a significant addition to the CVS Group portfolio. This is a very satisfactory deal completed with Chan - cerygate, which will grow our presence in a prime Central Belt location.

“Last year was another record for revenue and operating profits, and we will continue our investment in premises going forwards.”

In March the company unveiled a 23.7 per cent rise in revenues to £195.1 million for the six months to 31 December.

The group, which currently owns 17 veterinary surgeries in Scotland, announced at the time that it was sitting on a “strong” pipeline of potential acquisition sand flagged possibilities for growth across Europe.

Chancerygate development director Mike Walker said: “Our deal with CV S Group highlights the attractiveness and accessibility of Livingston Trade Park.

“The combination of CV S Group’s proposed new facility and our development will create significant regeneration and employment opportunities.

“We are also in discussions with several national trade counter occupiers regarding the rest of our scheme.”

Located on the Ho us toun Industrial Estate, the Livingston Trade Park will comprise eight leasehold trade, warehouse and light industrial units totalling 40,000 sq ft, with units ranging from around 3,500 sq ft to more than 10,000 sq ft.

Construction work is now under way and the develop - ment is scheduled to complete in October.

JLL and Colliers International have been appointed as letting agents for the park, while Inverkei thing-based contractor Muir Construction will build the units.

Funding for the park is provided by the Scottish Partnership for Regeneration in Urban Centres.