Bid for 110 new homes approved

West Lothian Council has given the green light to 110 new homes on the site of the former Vodaphone facility in Livingston after winning assurances on road safety.

Plans to redevelop the site off Hunter Road had been put on hold last month after councillors expressed concerns about an increase in traffic using the local road system and fears for safe access to emergency vehicles.

Planners told the latest meeting of the Development Management Committee that previous legislation governing secondary access routes into developments beyond a certain size had been superseded by new planning rules and each application had to be dealt with on a case by cases basis.

Brian Johnston chair of the local Livingston Village Community Council told the meeting that any formal objections they had had had now been addressed and the community council backed the development of the 54 houses and 56 flats.

Councillor Willie Boyle, who had raised initial concerns about the increased traffic on surrounding roads maintained concerns that new developments would potentially impact on the road. “I am concerned that we have very woolly specifications here.”he added.

He stressed that Kirkton Road would be adversely affected by more traffic when it became the main artery into the town from the projected Gavieside development near West Calder.

Developers Robertson Living had offered to build an emergency access road connecting the site to Alderstone Road.

Councillor Boyle suggested for the benefit of the whole residential area that this offer should be taken up “because of concern of volume of traffic at the main access point.”

Roads and Transportation Manager Graeme Manager told the meeting that existing roads“had sufficient capacity”for the development.

Council Leader Lawrence Fitzpatrick, supporting the granting of planning permission said:“I am now content we don’t need a second access particularly as it would be through a residential estate.”