A NEW veterinary practice is coming to Saltash after Cornwall Council approved plans to transform a long-vacant building in the town into a modern animal care facility.

South Moor Vets has been granted conditional planning permission to convert Units 1 and 1A at Burley Court, Pillmere Drive, into a single veterinary practice.

The premises have remained largely unoccupied since they were built in 2020, despite several businesses previously expressing interest in taking on the lease.

The new facility will include three consultation rooms, a reception and waiting area, accessible toilets, a laboratory, kennels, a cattery, an operating theatre, an X-ray room and an isolation room.

There will also be staff toilets, a washroom, storage areas and 11 parking spaces.

Saltash Town Council recommended approval of the application in July, with Cornwall Council now giving the scheme the go-ahead, subject to conditions.

In a letter to planners, South Moor Vets director and veterinary surgeon Will McMullan said the practice believed its arrival would be a positive addition to the local community.

He said the building had remained empty since its construction, with potential tenants including a gym, a wine wholesaler and a charity shop all withdrawing from the process at various stages.

Mr McMullan said South Moor Vets needed to take over the entire premises, including an area currently designated for storage, to operate effectively.

South Moor Vets is an independent, long-established veterinary practice which has expanded considerably over the past decade, opening two additional branches and now employing nearly 150 people in the region.

The business is owned and operated by seven directors who live locally and work within the practice.

Mr McMullan added that the practice was keen to establish a long-term presence in Saltash, adding jobs and income to the local area while building on its existing community links.