A 220-space park and ride car park facility has been withdrawn after a backlash from the local community in West Lothian.
The plans for the car park from developers Stirling Developments Ltd were intended to increase capacity for Uphall train station by 50 per cent.
However, the local community besieged the planning application with objections.
The proposed facility was to be accessed via a new vehicular access road from the B7031, north-west of Station Road.
Over 60 objections were lodged, with many saying it puts local school children at risk due to the increased volume in traffic.
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One said: “My grandchildren walk to school past this which will be dangerous due to volume of traffic. They wanted to live in the country with trees and fields, not a car park.”
Another added: “Crossing the B7031 as a pedestrian is already hazardous, and the proposed car park will make the crossing considerably more dangerous, particularly for school children on their way to school.
“As a parent that wishes to encourage healthy life style choices in my young family I would wish for a safe walking journey from home (Kirknewton Court) to Kirknewton Primary School.”
The car park was also proposed to sit on land adjacent to a local war memorial and many locals complained that the development would disturb this peaceful area.
The conservation officer at the War Memorials Trust, Andrew McMaster, said: “Having reviewed the details currently submitted in support of the planning application we do not feel that these are sufficient for determining the impact of the proposals on the setting and use of the historic war memorial and curtilage, and would urge the Council to request fuller and more robust details before determining this application.
“In particular, how the change of land use to park-and-ride facilities will impact on the current setting of the memorial and the manner in which it is used should be addressed. The current backdrop to the memorial is rural and the current context of the memorial provides the opportunity for relatively peaceful commemoration.”
This has led to the developers withdrawing their application with West Lothian Council on September 29.
They said: Stirling Developments wish to withdraw planning application at this time.
“We intend to lodge a revised application, which will address a number of the points raised by the local community and regional authority, in the coming months.”
The park and ride facility was part of project to create the 200 new homes with retail units at Station Road in Livingston, supported by Dunedin Canmore Association.
