Linlithgow Civic Trust and West Lothian History and Amenity Society
JOINT RESPONSE TO PLANNING CONSULTATION
Planning and Associated Matters - January 2009 Report
Ron Smith
West Lothian Local Plan - Action Plan - Vision for Linlithgow
The West Lothian Local Plan is proceeding through its final stages towards
adoption as the statutory Development Plan for West Lothian, minus, of course,
the positive ideas expressed in the Trust’s Vision for Linlithgow document.
Although promised by the end of 2008, there is, as yet, no sign of the Council’s
draft ‘Action Plan’ for Linlithgow – when it does appear, we will comment
as constructively as possible. In the meantime, the Linlithgow Business
Association took the initiative by holding an exploratory ‘Stakeholder Event’
at Sun Microsystems on 8 September 2008 – the Civic Trust will be happy
working actively with the all groups in the town to take this initiative
further. Over the coming months, the Trust will examine how its existing ‘Vision’
document can be promoted as a basis for future work.
Planning Applications
An update on the most significant planning applications which have
received comment from Linlithgow Civic Trust is as follows:
- Erection of 69-Bed Care Home at Bonnytoun Farm Road – This
scaled-down proposal, compared to the 90 bed spaces originally proposed, was
the subject of an approval recommendation by the Council’s planners.
However, after hearing Bill Cadell speak in support of the Civic Trust’s
objections to the principle of the development and the suggested relocation
of the care home to a less sensitive site, the Development Control Committee
decided to refuse the application. Although the applicants have the right of
appeal to the Scottish Ministers, it is hoped that a proposal for the home
on an alternative site nearer to the Bonsyde Road/Sun Microsystems will
emerge.
- Listed Building Consent for Change of Use from Post Office to
Restaurant at 29-31 High Street – Subject to resolution of concerns
about the use of stainless steel rather than black-painted ironwork for the
terrace at the front and about possible implications for public order and
safety caused by outdoor drinking at certain times, the proposal was
considered to be in keeping with the building’s ‘listed’ status and
preferable to likely prolonged vacancy.
- Erection of 14.2 metre Telecommunications Masts at Preston Road and
Mains Road – We objected to both applications on the grounds that they
were unnecessarily obtrusive and questioned whether their proposed height
was absolutely necessary and whether sharing with existing masts was
possible. The Preston Road application was refused at Committee while the
other was approved by officers under delegated powers.
- Listed Building Consent for the Installation of a Communal Satellite
System at 74-138 St Magdalene’s – Objection submitted on grounds of
detriment to appearance of listed building/conservation area and to the
amenity of the residential properties facing the site.
 Redevelopment
of Site of Victoria Hall, 88-92 High Street - We welcomed the proposals
for the redevelopment of this site, the re-use of the entrance archway and
the fairly good attempt at reflecting the traditional built form of
Linlithgow High Street. However we expressed concern about the high
zinc-clad mansard roofs which would project above the adjacent pitched
rooflines; discordant large windows on the first floor; the size of proposed
roof-top ventilators; and the lost opportunity to provide a pedestrian link
through to the Peel. We have made various suggestions for the Council’s
consideration.- Erection of Office Building at Avon Place/Strawberry Bank –
Another set of revised plans was considered generally acceptable and more in
keeping with its surroundings, subject to a few concerns regarding design
and materials.
Other Matters
Supermarket Proposal at Boghall East – No planning application has
yet been submitted for this proposal – and this now seems less likely in view
of a recent Council-commissioned report on retailing in West Lothian which has
concluded that there is no need for further supermarket floorspace in
Linlithgow. The Linlithgow Against Springfield Development campaign continues to
actively mobilise local opposition, and, if an application is eventually
submitted, the Civic Trust will object on the following grounds –
- Contrary to the Council's statutory Development Plan;
- Supermarket would be catastrophic to the trade, prosperity and appearance
of the town centre;
- Supermarket in out-of-town location would increase car use and increase
traffic congestion at the Low Port;
- Contrary to the principles of the town's 'Cittaslow' status;
- Potential over development of the site with insufficient landscaping;
- Proposals would be severely detrimental to the amenity of the surrounding
residential area particularly with regard to (such things as) the monolithic
appearance of the supermarket building along the site boundary, the swathes
of car parking close to housing and the siting and possible 24-hour use of
its service area.
Mystery about Proposal to Extend Linlithgow Academy – In my last
report, I mentioned that the Civic Trust had queried the recent decision of West
Lothian Council to immediately expand Linlithgow Academy to accommodate 1,320
pupils 'in order to alleviate development constraint'. We are still no clearer
about the exact purpose of the extension, and the matter is further clouded by
recent contradictory statements and press reports. We have now formally written
to the Council’s Chief Executive and his reply makes us not much the wiser.
Conservation Area Appraisal – Having contributed to the initial
character assessment, we await the Council’s production of a draft. The
finished Appraisal will assist in decisions on planning applications and help
attract funding.
Temporary Commuter Car Park – The Civic Trust is keen to put forward
positive ideas that could benefit Linlithgow. We have suggested the creation of
a temporary commuter car park in the former garage site on Edinburgh Road which
could be used until development starts. That would give some breathing space for
a more permanent solution to be developed and funded.
We are also pushing for pedestrian access to the Stockbridge Retail Park to
be improved and have asked that the incorrect nameplates saying 'Cellar Road'
should be replaced with green footpath signs with the correct name: 'Sellars
Road'.
Heritage Trail
There has been significant progress towards the creation of a new Heritage
Trail for Linlithgow - the Civic Trust is working with the Linlithgow Heritage
Trust, the Community Council and Pride & Passion Linlithgow. The Linlithgow
& Linlithgow Bridge Town Management Group has agreed funding of £10,000 for
this financial year; a new leaflet has been compiled and made printer-ready by
Trust members (Ron Smith and John Aitken). It has been agreed that 10,000 copies
of the leaflet should be printed, and progress is being made towards the
installation of high-quality ground-mounted plaques to mark all the various
places of interest on the Trail. It is intended that explanatory plaques on
selected buildings will follow.
Public Realm
 Further
to our concerns about temporary and permanent tarring of pavements in the High
Street, the Civic Trust did, contrary to the wording in the last report, receive
a timely response to our letter from the Council’s Chief Executive. We have
apologised for the mix-up. However, the Council’s reply, mentioning that its
Planning Services Manager will include a ‘townscape scheme’ as part of the
forthcoming town ‘action plan’, was not entirely helpful and there was no
mention of what action is to be taken to replace the unauthorised plastic window
frames on the Council-owned properties at the corner of High Street/Preston
Road.
That said, it is good to report the progress being made on improvements to
the ‘public realm’ being co-ordinated and encouraged through the activities
of the Linlithgow & Linlithgow Bridge Town Management Group, chaired by
Provost Tom Kerr. As well as the above-mentioned heritage trail, the following
improvements and potential improvements are worth noting:
- Finger posts and notice boards have been installed;
- New street furniture including seats, bollards, bins and tree guards to an
agreed specification – the first phase of installation including Low Port
and the new trees at the corner of West Port/St Ninian’s Road is under
way;
- Attachment of brackets for hanging baskets and some banners to the
heritage lampposts at the Low Port roundabout and Blackness Road;
- Works to improve the Cross, St Michael’s and New Wells; and
- A general review of signage in the town.
Perhaps more significantly, the Town Management Group has taken on board the
need to upgrade the specification of the High Street pavements and the Council’s
Norman Adamson has invited the views of all interested parties. The following
comments from Linlithgow Civic Trust have been forwarded to Mr Adamson:
- Bearing in mind the status as West Lothian's only Outstanding Conservation
Area, we would wish to see all High Street footways paved with good-quality
Caithness slabs of sufficient thickness to withstand over-run by heavy
vehicles as appropriate; however concrete equivalents may be acceptable in
front of the 1960s Vennel and West Port flats only;
- At certain locations, bollards may be appropriate to prevent over-run by
vehicles, but their use should be kept to a minimum to minimise clutter;
judicious positioning of lampposts and other street furniture may also
assist here;
- The slabbed areas should extend to the full length of the High Street
including the frontage of the Star & Garter Hotel.
It is also extremely welcome that representatives of the Civic Trust and
Burgh Beautiful (as well as the Community Council and Linlithgow Heritage Trust)
have been fully involved in the development of these projects.
Ronald P A Smith BSc MRTPI
Planning Spokesman, Linlithgow Civic Trust
4 Rivaldsgreen Crescent, Linlithgow, EH49 6BB.
Tel: 01506 670758; Email - planning@lct.org.uk
January 2009
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