West Lothian Planning Committee

WEST LOTHIAN PLANNING COMMITTEE Report by Development Management Manager 1 Description of the proposal 1.1 Planning permission in principle for a residential and mixed use development at the site of the former Bangour Village Hospital, Dechmont to provide for up to 891 new residential units, a new primary school, access roads, open space, the refurbishment of 15 listed buildings and associated infrastructure. Reference no. 0607/P/15 Owner of site NHS Lothian Applicant NHS Lothian Ward & local Broxburn, Uphall and members Winchburgh Cllr. Tony Boyle Cllr. Diane Calder Cllr. Janet Campbell Cllr. Alex Davidson Case officer Ross Burton Contact details [email protected] 2 Reason for referral to West Lothian Planning Committee: 2.1 This is a major planning application which, because of the number of residential units proposed, is significantly contrary to the development plan, the West Lothian Local Plan 2009. There is a requirement under the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 that in determining such proposals the applicant, and those persons who have made representation on the application, may appear before and be heard by a committee of the council. 2.2 In accordance with the 1997 Act the determination of an application of this type shall be discharged only by the full council and not a committee of the council. A subsequent report will be presented to West Lothian Council for a decision. 2.3 As set out below, part of the proposed redevelopment scheme seeks the demolition of four listed buildings and the removal of all but two unlisted buildings on the application site, which is within a conservation area. 3 Recommendation 3.1 It is recommended that West Lothian Planning Committee notes the contents of this report, the terms of all representations received and those that are made by persons appearing at the hearing. 3.2 Thereafter West Lothian Council will be invited to make a decision on the planning application. 1 4 The scope of this report 4.1 This current application for planning permission in principle is accompanied by an environmental impact statement (EIS) and a suite of documents on design, transport, air quality, flooding, sustainability and health impacts. The planning application and each of these supporting documents, and the report on public consultation compiled before the submission of the planning application, is available for viewing on line in the application case file. 4.2 The application has attracted letters of objection and representations from Dechmont Community Council and Bathgate Community Council. A summary of these representations is set out in section 6 of this report and a copy of all correspondence received is available from Committee Services. 4.3 The following sections of the report describe the development plan status of the site and the proposals under consideration in the context of SESplan and the West Lothian Local Plan, and the emerging Local Development Plan. Reference is also made to Scottish Planning Policy and guidance from Historic Environment Scotland in respect of the site’s built heritage. 4.4 A summary of other material considerations, and most importantly the built heritage aspects of the proposal, that must be taken into account in the decision making process is then made. A further key material consideration is that of education provision and specific reference is made to the approach that could be taken if the council is minded to grant planning permission in principle. The final part of this report comprises an overall assessment of the planning application. 4.5 Members should note that this application for planning permission in principle is also accompanied by four applications for listed building consent, and an application for conservation consent, all of which relate to the removal of listed buildings, and unlisted buildings in the conservation area that is designated over the site. Reports on these applications are elsewhere on the agenda by West Lothian Planning Committee and, similarly, these applications will be reported to West Lothian Council for decisions. 5 Location and description 5.1 The former Bangour Village Hospital site, which extends to some 90 hectares, is bounded by open farmland to the east, north and west. The southern boundary comprises the A89 and Dechmont village. The site contains 15 listed buildings: two of which are category ‘A’, three category ‘B’ and 10 category ‘C’. There are also a number of unlisted buildings on the site, which is designated as a conservation area. 5.3 Appendix A is a plan showing the boundary of the site, and an aerial view of the site. Appendix B shows the listed and unlisted buildings on the site and the boundary of the conservation area. 5.4 Bangour Village Hospital was built in the early 1900s as an asylum for the Edinburgh Lunacy Board, providing a unique approach to psychiatric care based on a self- sustaining village model. Some 25 buildings were constructed within a rural landscaped setting providing patient accommodation, staff accommodation, and ancillary support buildings to enable the site to operate as a self-contained unit. Many of these original buildings survive. 2 5.5 The hospital was requisitioned during both world wars, and the site was thereafter returned to its original medical use. In the inter-war period the Memorial Church was built towards the centre of the eastern part of the site. The church is a category ‘A’ listed building. The site continued to provide care until the hospital closed in 2004. 5.6 The history of the site and the unique design of, in particular the core group of listed buildings, gives the site national importance. Thus, every effort must be made to retain the most notable listed buildings, within their settings. Since 2004 the fabric of the listed buildings has been deteriorating. 5.7 The listed buildings are formed in two groups; to the east, the ‘A’ listed church is surrounded by category ‘B’ listed buildings comprising the nurses' home, the administration block, wards 1 and 2, and a building housing wards 3 and 4. The ‘A’ listed recreation hall sits slightly apart from this group, nearer to the centre of the site. To the west there is a group of three substantial ‘C’ listed villas, which are positioned on a ridge and in an open landscaped setting. 5.8 The proposal is for a housing development, comprising up to 800 new build houses in the grounds of the former hospital and up to 91 residential units converted from the most important listed buildings on the site. 5.9 Four of the less important listed buildings on the site are proposed for demolition, and an extension to the nurses’ home, added some time after the original building was completed, is also proposed to be demolished. Reports on these applications will be presented to the committee after this report, other than the latter application which will be considered at a later date. Most of the unlisted buildings within the conservation area are un-notable and are also proposed for demolition, with the exception of the village shop and the pavilion overlooking the recreation ground, both of which are important to the site in historical terms. 5.10 The applicant has undertaken considerable work to set out the aspirations for the redevelopment of the site. The planning application and environmental statement has very carefully considered the built and natural heritage of the site. Those parts of the site which are proposed for the development of new-build houses avoid the listed buildings that are proposed for retention. The mature woodland which bounds the site to the south, east and west is also retained. 5.11 The proposed masterplan (entitled ‘Proposed Masterplan, PPP Parameters’), which is appended to this report as Appendix C, has the status of a formal plan and is submitted for approval. It shows nine distinct housing areas, ranging from 1.2 hectares in size to 4.9 hectares, separated by mature tree belts and retained listed buildings. The sports ground is proposed to be retained as a school playing field, and four potential locations for a new non-denominational primary school, which the development would require, are indicated. This includes one option which would incorporate the category ‘A’ listed recreation hall as part of the new school. 5.12 The masterplan shows the existing mature woodland which exists along the western, southern and eastern boundaries of the site remaining in place. The new development would have a small centre for local services adjacent to the recreation hall and the retained shop. 5.13 In addition to the proposed masterplan, a suite of supporting plans, submitted for information, have been submitted. One of these, entitled ‘preferred masterplan option’ further defines the site’s potential development. This is appended to the report as Appendix D. This scenario is resultant from the exhaustive statutory local 3 consultation exercise which was undertaken by the applicant, before the application was submitted. It shows a village centre, located between the recreation hall, which is shown as a preferred option for the new school, and the shop, a single storey building which is unlisted but served as an important focus for the hospital complex. 5.14 As is set out below, that part of the proposal that provides for the protection of the core built heritage assets at the site has to be seen the context of other considerable costs to the development which includes the cost of access, energy supply and, importantly, the provision of education. 6 Statutory consultation 6.1 As a major application, the proposal was subject to a period of statutory pre- application consultation. A report, available from Committee Services, details the very extensive procedures which were followed.

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