New development plans are in place for a once-vandalised business park in Livingston. The former business pavilions on the site had been extensively vandalised before their eventual demolition earlier this year. The site, located on the west side of Alderstone Road between the Almondvale roundabout and the Campus roundabout, will now be transformed into new flats and homes as there was deemed to be “no realistic opportunity to develop the site for business.”
Councillors have approved proposals by Dundas Estates for the redevelopment of the site, which will include 62 flats and 26 houses. A planning officer noted the abundance of ‘To Let’ signs in Livingston and stated that the site was not viable for business development. Despite the approval, Bathgate’s SNP councillor Willie Boyle expressed the importance of retaining space for potential future commercial development in the town centre.
Livingston Village Community Council raised objections to the proposal, citing concerns about increased traffic, impact on schools, and local GP facilities. The site falls within the employment boundary of Kirkton Campus as outlined in the West Lothian Local Development Plan, 2018. The site previously featured nine brick-built, two-storey business units constructed in the 1990s under the Livingston Development Corporation.
In a report to the committee, planners highlighted the changing character of the area and the site’s advantageous location adjacent to Livingston town centre, with good public transport and pedestrian connections. The redevelopment is seen as a positive step towards revitalising the area and providing much-needed housing options in Livingston.
Overall, this redevelopment project signifies a significant transformation for a previously derelict and vandalised site, showcasing the potential for new beginnings and community growth in Livingston.