Saturday March 21st 2026
Councillors were unhappy with the proposal that would see a large section of the mature hedging on the left of this narrow road removed to improve sightlines
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Stuart Sommerville
Plans to develop West Lothian business park in the shadow of one of the county’s most recognisable landmarks have been dealt a blow.
An application to open up a second access to the site near the Five Sisters was knocked back by councillors.
The Development Management committee voted down the proposals over concerns about traffic on narrow rural roads and damage to well established hedgerow.
An agent for the park’s owners gave assurance that new hedgerow would be planted in advance of the work to establish to new road in to the site.
A planning application for the formation of vehicular access road at Land South of B7015 and East of Five Sisters Business Park in West Calder has been refused at a meeting of the Development Management Committee.
The applicant and owner of the site was JJ Land Purchases Limited. Planning officers had recommended that the Committee refused the application.
The application site is part of an allocated employment site that lies within the employment boundary for the existing Five Sisters Business Park. The proposal involved the creation of a new access point at the eastern boundary of the allocated site, from a quiet local road that runs south from the B7015.
This road is bordered on both sides by a well-established, mature hedgerow and is primarily used to access two business premises and agricultural land. The land immediately to the west of the proposed access point is currently in active agricultural use.
An agent for the applicant explained that the park was at capacity at present and a new access would allow the owners to develop the eastern side of the land that it owned.
In their conclusion, planning officers said: “The proposed access point is not consistent with the requirements of masterplan strategies that require access to be taken from the existing access point from B7015 to the business park.
“There is no justification to depart from this. The proposal would result in a significant increase in the use of minor, rural road and would result in a loss of established hedgerow, all to the detriment of the amenity of the surrounding countryside and local biodiversity.”
Chair of the meeting Councillor Harry Cartmill suggested that a parking area on the road used by the councillors on the site visit seemed a more obvious point for an access road onto the land and he asked why that had not been chosen. “That seemed a more practical place. The damage to the hedgerow would be minimal,” he added.
The agent said that the preferred option had been chosen because it would maximise the access to the site.
Councillor Pauline Clark asked about the potential further development of the site and senior planning officer Wendy McCorriston explained that any building plans would have to be submitted for approval in a future planning application.
Councillor Cartmill told the meeting: “Given that we don’t know what is going to be on the site I’m not convinced that this road is in the right place. My view is that I agree with the planners and I think this is the best way forward.”
Councillor Willie Boyle said: “I would move to grant subject to the conditions and the new hedgerow being planted. This was backed by Councillor Clark.
In a vote the recommendation was refused by four to two.
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