Councillors have dismissed as “speculative” outline plans to build ninety new homes on the edge of East Calder.
A meeting of the West Lothian’s Council’s Planning Committee also agreed with local members that allowing more development would add to a transport infrastructure - including the A71 - already at breaking point.
The decision to dismiss the latest East Calder housing bid came as a fatal accident shut the A71 at East Coxydene Farm on Thursday morning.
Hallam Land Management sought planning permission in principle to build on almost 20 acres of prime farmland at Oakbank Road East Calder. It had argued that the site was a natural extension to the settlement of East Calder.
Agents for Hallam Land also contested that West Lothian does not have adequate housing supply for the next five years. West Lothian has long disputed this - using another recognised method of calculating land supply.
Asked by Councillor Willie Boyle what type of housing would be built on the site and how it would meet new standards to help curb carbon emissions, agents said they would work with housebuilders to whom they would sell the site .
Defending the earmarking of the A71 site, the firm said it was providing a need where the demand was at its highest, close to transport links. It pointed out that among statutory consultations there were no objections from council departments such as roads, which had suggested that conditions could be added to consent.
Nevertheless there were 18 objections to the plans including from East Calder Community Council protesting at the loss of open countryside.
Bathgate’s Councillor Boyle said the responses he had had to questions were “not good enough”. He described the application as about “getting planning permission and then getting some else to take it on.”
He added: "It’s purely speculative,”
Ward councillors Damian Doran-Timson and Carl John moved and seconded a motion against the plans citing the strain on the surrounding infrastructure. “The infrastructure around East Calder is grinding to a halt, “ said Councillor Doran-Timson.
Councillor John added: “ Out of 3,000 houses planned for the area only 1,000 have been built and traffic on the A71 is nose to tail as it is. The A71 is a major problem that the council, the Scottish Government, someone has to sort this out.”
