West Lothian Council is set to hold a special meeting on Thursday to decide on its blueprint for the future, with key discussions focusing on healthcare challenges and plans for nearly 10,000 new homes.
New Local Development Plan
The new Local Development Plan (LDP) proposes the construction of 9,850 new homes by 2038. However, critical questions remain regarding healthcare provision, particularly in communities where securing a GP appointment is already a significant obstacle. Additionally, a ban on capital spending imposed by the Scottish Government in 2024 adds further complexity.
Healthcare Challenges
Two areas, East Calder and Armadale, face serious challenges with crumbling and outdated health centres. Other locations, including Linlithgow and Livingston, also face accommodation issues. A recent meeting of the Economy, Community Empowerment and Wealth Building PDSP suggested that uncertainty remains due to a lack of change in funding positions on health.
The Provost, Councillor Cathy Muldoon, stated: “Everyone knows we need more GP practices. What work has been done with the NHS and the Scottish Government? We can build as many GP practices as we want, but it’s actually getting the medical expertise of GPs, nurses and other medical staff to fill them.”
Craig McCorriston, the head of planning, confirmed that the council can fund infrastructure through developer contributions but cannot fund the revenue costs of staffing. Andrew Cotton, a senior planning officer, told the meeting: “We meet monthly with NHS Lothian to discuss requirements. As with education, any contribution will only be on new development not yet consented; not on existing consents such as in areas like East Calder.”
He added that any additional shortfall in provision would have to be met through a combination of input from the council, NHS Lothian and the Scottish Government.
GP Practice Capacity
In her report to the committee, Kate Hopper, the council’s Development Planning and Environment Manager, said: “At 16 of the 20 GP practices in West Lothian there is sufficient capacity to accommodate the anticipated growth in list size from current housing allocations. In two practices there is clearly a requirement for additional capacity (East Calder and Almond) while a further two practices (Linlithgow, Barbauchlaw) require further investigation of service delivery and infrastructure availability to explore whether additional capacity is required.”
Plan Delays and Gate Check Process
The Local Development Plan has already been delayed by nine months because the Scottish Government demanded more information. The report added: “The Evidence Report must be approved by Full Council before it is submitted to Scottish Ministers for the ‘Gate Check’ process. The assessment of the Evidence Report, known as the ‘Gate Check’, provides an independent evaluation of whether the planning authority has sufficient information to prepare an LDP and whether key matters have been considered and engagement and all consultation requirements have been met. The Gate Check will be carried out by a Reporter from the Planning & Environmental Appeals Division (DPEA). Once the Evidence Report is approved by the DPEA, the planning authority can prepare the proposed Draft Plan for formal consultation and engagement.”
West Lothian was one of 16 councils which had their original evidence documents returned with the demand for more information. It was conceded that the original briefings to councils were not clear in what evidence was wanted. If Thursday’s meeting of the full council agrees to the new documents, it will restart the process. The new Local Development Plan is expected to come into force in 2028.
