A fifteen-year construction project that started yesterday will bring hundreds of jobs to West Lothian, the Scottish Government said.

Alex Neil, the Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure and Capital Investment, said the £1bn investment followed the Government's thinking that investing in infrastructure was a "primary" way to get the economy moving.

Mr Neil cut the first turf at Winchburgh, near Broxburn, to signal the start of the work onsite.

The development will comprise of about 3,450 new homes and a mixture of business, shopping and community facilities.

In its first phase, work on the 900 acre site is expected to support 300 new jobs annually.

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A community benefit clause agreed with developers will trigger a £1.27 million contribution towards West Lothian Council's cost in extending Linlithgow Academy, and project managers Sigma Capital have pledged alongside first-phase contractors Realm Construction to employ as many local people as possible.

Mr Neil said: "The Scottish Government has always argued that investing in our infrastructure is one of the primary ways to create jobs and stimulate growth in our economy. As one of Scotland’s largest construction projects, this development in West Lothian illustrates how co-operation between the public and private sector can benefit the local community and stimulate the wider economy."

Michael Levack, Chief Executive of the Scottish Building Federation, said: "The Scottish construction sector warmly welcomes this investment in West Lothian, which is set to create hundreds of much-needed jobs. As a key driver of the Scottish economy, a recovery in construction is essential for sustainable economic growth."

Photograph by Donald MacLeod.

(NE)