After securing the 400 acres of land just south west of Livingston last summer, the developer has been working on designs to deliver its fifth Springfield village.

Complete with a broad mix of housing from one bedroom apartments to five-bedroom detached homes, a new primary school, cafes and shops, Gavieside village will include everything a community needs to thrive. The application will also support the wider community towards the delivery of East Calder High School.

Springfield has now submitted a detailed planning application for the first 502 homes and eight business premises to West Lothian Council.

Chief executive Innes Smith is looking forward to the opportunities the project will bring.

He said: “Gavieside will include a wide range of homes – including affordable housing. There will be local shops, cafes, other business opportunities and a new primary school.

“We picture young couples buying their first flat at Gavieside, moving to a 3 or 4 bedroom home as their family grows, and then downsizing once their children have bought homes of their own with friends and family doing the same. We see local entrepreneurs opening independent cafes and shops and established businesses expanding to new premises – creating jobs and careers on people’s doorsteps. And we will create village greens, play parks and communal areas giving kids somewhere to play close to home.”

Innes added: “Springfield is well equipped to handle projects of this size and scale. We have four villages across Scotland progressing at various stages. We’ve seen the community form and grow at our most established village, Dykes of Gray in Dundee which is now home to over 180 families. This will happen at Gavieside too.

“Livingston is already a vibrant town. There are leisure facilities nearby, a well-known shopping centre, opportunities for work and other activities to suit the whole family. Livingston is well connected to the rest of central Scotland, particularly for those commuting to Edinburgh or Glasgow. Gavieside will be a positive addition to Livingston with its high quality, energy-efficient housing. The people who will call Gavieside home will boost the town, supporting local groups and businesses and contributing to the wider Livingston community.”

Springfield currently employs more than 720 people with offices in Elgin, Glasgow, Larbert and Livingston. 18% of staff are in further training like apprenticeships and future education.

Innes added: “We support the young workforce and employ as locally as possible. A development of this scale will bring work to the Livingston area for local tradesmen and subcontractors for years to come and offer the stepping stones to help youngsters build a career.

“We look forward to hearing West Lothian Council’s thoughts on our designs in the coming months and working in partnership with them to create a great new place to live.”