Public 119 MINUTE of MEETING of the LIVINGSTON SOUTH LOCAL

DATA LABEL: Public 119 MINUTE of MEETING of the LIVINGSTON SOUTH LOCAL AREA COMMITTEE of WEST LOTHIAN COUNCIL held within COUNCIL CHAMBERS, WEST LOTHIAN CIVIC CENTRE, on 23 SEPTEMBER 2011. Present – Councillors Peter Johnston (Chair), John Muir, Lawrence Fitzpatrick, Danny Logue 1. OPENING REMARKS The Chair welcomed to the meeting representatives of Land Securities, the owners of Buchanan House and their agent, and representatives of Bellsquarry and Adambrae Community Council, Livingston Community Council and Murieston Community Council. He advised that members of Livingston North Local Area Committee had been invited to attend in relation to Item 6 on the agenda (Almondvale Park Study) and that although none of those members had been able to attend, apologies had been received from Councillors John Cochrane and Robert de Bold. 2. MINUTE The Local Area Committee approved the minute of its meeting held on 3 June 2011. The minute was then signed by the Chair. 3. PLANS FOR WINTER 2011 AT THE CENTRE AND THE DESIGNER OUTLET The committee considered a report by the Head of Area Services (which had been circulated) to inform members of the committee of the plans of The Centre and the Designer Outlets in Livingston for the Christmas period, and their severe weather plans. The report advised that following the unprecedented winter weather in 2010/11 steps had been taken to keep close links with The Centre and the Designer Outlet in relation to their contingency plans for any severe weather occurring this winter. The committee heard from representatives of both that lessons had been learned form the previous winter weather, that steps had been taken to order more grit and equipment for dealing with snow and ice, that more training had been given to staff, and that close relationships had been developed with contractors who may be required to assist. The committee was advised that consultations had taken place with the bus companies using the stops between the two centres, both in relation to severe weather arrangements and plans to use open spaces for special Christmas events and markets. Decisions 1. To note the arrangements made by the Almondvale Centre and the McArthur Glen Designer outlet for dealing with severe winter weather, and DATA LABEL: Public 120 for the festive period in general. 2. To agree that officers should enter into a discussion with the Centre and the Outlet, and the bus companies using the bus halts between them, in relation to possible disruption during the winter period. 4. ALMONDVALE PARK STUDY, LIVINGSTON The committee considered a report by the Head of Planning and Economic Development (which had been circulated) to advise the committee of the completion of the Almondvale Park Study, Livingston and to outline a proposed programme for publicising and consulting on the terms of the Study. The report explained that it was a requirement of the West Lothian Local Plan (WLLP) that the council commission an independent study of the river corridor between the Civic Centre and the Almond Valley Bridge (B7015) to establish how the environment of this part of the town centre could be improved or re-vitalised. The council had already approved a package of environmental, landscape and footpath improvements for part of the linear riverside walkway alongside the River Almond as part of the Civic Centre development and a number of these works had already been carried out including a new pedestrian bridge to link Howden with Almondvale (planning application 1303/05 refers). Any recommendations for environmental improvements arising from the Almondvale Study would be in addition to these. The report explained the area covered by the study (shown in Appendix 1) and its purposes, and then summarised the findings, the key points to note were that based on an analysis of park facilities in Livingston, Almondvale Park was best suited to be classified as a “neighbourhood park” and as such a master plan had been developed for the park on this basis. The report went on to summarise the recommendations in the study for developing the area as a neighbourhood park, and set out an implementation plan and potential funding sources for further investigation. The full study and report were contained in Appendix 2. Decisions 1. To note the contents of the report. 2. To agree that officers should proceed with public consultation on the Almondvale Park Study, which would be led by NETS and Land Services. 3. To recommend that as part of that process the Study should be sent to all Livingston Community Councils with sufficient time allowed for them to respond. DATA LABEL: Public 121 4. To recommend that a further report on the results of the consultation process and with officers’ recommendations should be brought to the Environment PDSP before proceeding, if so advised, to the Council Executive. 5. BUCHANAN HOUSE, KIRKTON NORTH, LIVINGSTON The committee considered a report by the Head of Planning and Economic Development (which had been circulated) to update the committee on progress towards finding a suitable alternative use for the former Buchanan House site at Kirkton North, Livingston. The report described the site, the present provisions in the West Lothian Local Plan and the planning history of the site. It explained that discussions had taken place with the site owners and their agent about a potential beneficial use of the site, and that although it was felt by officers that some progress could be made, there remained work to be done in relation to retail impacts and education capacity constraints locally. It went on to confirm that the site had been proposed for housing allocation in the new local plan being developed and would be considered by the council through that consultation process. The report went on to advise members of the committee of the present condition of the site, and the problems that was causing locally, but advised that the statutory grounds for serving statutory notices such as a dangerous building notice had not been satisfied. The report concluded by advising that until development could take place following any necessary planning processes, in the meantime it remained the land owner’s responsibility to ensure the site is secured and protected. The Chair allowed the site owners and their agent, and Angela Moohan and Alan Nicolson of Livingston Village Community Council to participate in the item of business, and further information was provided in response to questions about site security, potential use of CCTV cameras, criminal activity at and around the site and any enforcement powers the council may hold to assist. Decisions 1. To note the planning position with respect to Buchanan House and the surrounding site. 2. To note that the developer had funded a study in relation to possible expansion of capacity at Livingston Village Primary School. 3. To agree that officers should advise committee members as follows:- (a) The timescale for completion of the capacity study. (b) The statutory powers available to the council to ensure the safety and DATA LABEL: Public 122 security of the building and the surrounding site, and whether those powers had been exercised. 4. To agree that a further report should be brought to the committee to advise of progress in relation to the capacity study, development plans for the site, and safety and security of the building and surrounding site. 6. WEST LOTHIAN LOCAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN & CALL FOR SITES The committee considered a report by the Head of Planning and Economic Development (which had been circulated) to make the Local Area Committee (LAC) aware of the sites and issues that Planning Services received earlier this year under its ‘Call for Sites/Expressions of Interest’ procedure as part of the preparation of the West Lothian Local Development Plan and to make the LAC aware of amended timescales for taking forward the West Lothian Local Development Plan (LDP). The report summarised the steps taken so far in relation to the development of the replacement local plan (LDP) and set out the revised timescale for taking it forward, as had recently been approved by the Council Executive. On 11 January 2011, the Council Executive approved a ‘call for sites’ for the West Lothian Local Development Plan. The deadline for receiving submissions expired on Friday, 6 May. A total of 225 submissions were received over the whole council area for consideration and the report detailed the area covered, their present uses and advised that the estimated number of residential units for the whole council area would be 38,554. Appendices 1 and 2 contained general details of each site and site plans indicating the location of sites contained wholly or partly within the Livingston South ward. The relevant figures for Livingston South ward were:- Total number of sites: 19 Total site area (all uses): 236.64 Ha Total Residential Land: 55.44 Ha Total Employment Land: 8.09 Ha Total Mixed Use land: 171.08 Ha Estimated Total Residential Units: 3334 units. It was confirmed that Planning Services was assessing these submissions and would report back to future Development and Transport Policy Development and Scrutiny Panels and Council Executive meetings in due course. The report concluded by explaining that in considering the scale and direction of growth for West Lothian, the LDP will require to conform with the approved SDP. The ‘proposed plan’ for the SDP had been approved DATA LABEL: Public 123 by the SESplan Joint Committee on 26 July and it was anticipated that on 20 September 2011 the Council Executive would consider whether or not to ratify the ‘proposed plan’. A verbal update on the outcome of the 20 September meeting was to be provided at the LAC. The Chair allowed Alan Nicolson of Livingston Village Community Council and Davidson McQuarrie of Murieston Community Council to participate in the item of business, and further information was provided in response to questions in relation to the proposed consultation and site assessment process, and the figures for the present and the proposed allocation for housing for the West Lothian area.

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