A decision on plans for a new care home in Linlithgow Bridge has been delayed again, after developers asked for more time to make changes to the design following concerns from residents.
Proposals by Inuos Developments to build a 60 bed care home on a site occupied by a former GM Flooring showroom were put on hold by West Lothian Council’s Development Management Committee two months ago in a bid to find solutions to parking proposals.
Residents in the neighbouring cul-de-sac, Broomyhill Place claim their quiet street would face 24 hour traffic if it was opened up to use as an exit for the care home. They would lose parking spaces as well as what little garden ground that has developed around the flats.
READ MORE: West Lothian residents in cul-de-sac say peace will be 'shattered' by new care home
At this week’s meeting of the Development Management Committee Planning officer Wendy McCorriston told councillors that the developers had requested more time.
She said: “The applicant has requested one more cycle before coming back to the committee so that amended plans can be produced. They are hoping this will be brought back to the next Development Management Committee.”
Councillors had put the initial application on hold in August because of concerns from locals about the loss of amenity and worries about parking spaces.
Several councillors expressed fears that the plan presented would lead to parking issues similar to those around St John’s Hospital in Livingston where residential streets are clogged with cars parked by hospital staff because there is inadequate on-site parking in the hospital grounds.
Parking provision rules state that the care home would only need to provide one space for every five members of staff. Councillors expressed serious doubts about the validity of that ratio.
The committee heard that daytime staff cover at the home would be 20 to 25.
The initial plans presented showed only 16 spaces, plus an exit road through the cul-de-sac at Broomyhill Place. This is a narrow residential street with 90 degree turns on to a main road which runs up to a primary school.
Homeowners in Broomyhill Place - many of whom are in their Eighties- fear their peace and quiet will be shattered if the development goes ahead.
The next meeting of the council’s Development Management Committee in on Wednesday, 16 November.
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