Construction is now underway at a new veterinary hospital that, once completed, will deliver best-in-class care and treatment and will become a centre of veterinary excellence for the West Midlands.
The new hospital will provide a purpose-built facility for IVC Evidensia, a global leader in veterinary care across 19 countries including the UK. St. Modwen, which is behind the transformation of Longbridge, has worked closely with IVC Evidensia to ensure the building design and specification has sustainability considered throughout and meets the future needs for the business.
The two-storey hospital, set over three acres, will be located adjacent to open parkland which is complimented by foot and cycle paths providing easy access to and from Longbridge Town Centre and its range of amenities. Work on access roads and landscaping is already underway following £20m of infrastructure investment in partnership with the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA).
Andy Street, the Mayor of the West Midlands, said: “Work commencing on this significant project represents yet another positive step for the regeneration of Longbridge. The fact that international organisations are choosing Longbridge as a base for operations is testament to the hard work that has been carried out by various parties to ensure that the area is an attractive proposition for businesses now and in the future. I’m proud that the WMCA have been able to make a valuable contribution throughout the project to date and I look forward to seeing further developments over the coming months and years that will further enhance Longbridge adding value for the economy and creating more jobs.”
Once complete, the hospital will create over 100 new skilled jobs and operations will feature research, treatment, diagnostic, laboratory and administrative space and will have the most advanced medical equipment including CT and MRI scanners.
John Turkington, Head of Referral Business Development at IVC Evidensia commented: “We are delighted that physical progress is being made at the Longbridge site where our new hospital will become a leading veterinary facility for communities in Birmingham and throughout the West Midlands. Strategically, West Longbridge represents a location that will support the growth of our organisation for years to come while being conveniently situated for pet owners whose pets require treatment at the state-of-the-art facilities.”
Elliot Sellars, Development Director at St. Modwen, said: “IVC Evidensia will be a valuable addition to West Longbridge Business Park and will benefit the entire region. Longbridge is now home to a number of specialist organisations and we are looking forward to welcoming more in the future. With each new business addition there is further value being added to the local community, the economy and a prosperous future for this historical site. It is a privilege for the entire St. Modwen team to be involved from the start of this regeneration project and seeing elements such as this come to fruition.”
West Longbridge Business Park is establishing itself as a leading centre for science and technology, medicine, precision engineering and R&D and this latest development helps to underpin this. The first animals are expected to be treated at the hospital in 2023.
The IVC Evidensia Referral network consists of over 100 centres in the UK, with further veterinary hospitals across Europe and Canada, all offering a range of services from specialist-led multidisciplinary centres to advanced practitioner led veterinary services from cancer treatment through to neurology and advanced surgery.
