£90m development plan to put Linlithgow on map
The �90m Linlithgow development plans illustrated
UP TO 600 new homes, a hotel and a 60-bed care home would be built in Linlithgow as part of a £90 million development bid.
The project, spearheaded by investment and management firm Wallace Land, would bring up to 500 permanent jobs to the area if given the go-ahead by planners.
Blueprints recently lodged with the council also indicate plans to create a slip road on to the M9 at junction 3 as well as a new neighbourhood centre, foodstore, petrol station and long-stay car park.
Around 150 of the planned new homes have been allocated for affordable housing while a community park, along with land for sports and leisure uses, would be created.
The proposals for the 48-hectare scheme – on Blackness Road in Burghmuir – include a £200,000 cash pot to fund town centre improvements in Linlithgow.
Jason Wallace of Wallace Land said the multi-million pound project would “benefit Linlithgow considerably” and provide a “much-needed boost to the town”.
“We have undertaken considerable community engagement on this project and have already made significant adjustments to our proposals based on the outcomes from this,” he said. “The development is a win-win for Linlithgow and we would like to thank the community for their considerable input to this process and look forward to continuing the dialogue with them.”
Bruce McCallum, chair of Linlithgow and Linlithgow Bridge Community Council, hailed the prospect of creating hundreds of new jobs while boosting the town’s stock of affordable housing but added that this had to be considered against losing some green field sites.
“The community council cannot advise for or against the proposal before it goes before public consultation,” he said. “The positive aspects of the bid are that there will be 150 affordable homes being built, which are greatly required in this climate, and affordable rented accommodation is badly needed.
“Some of the houses are also going to be equity sharing which is needed for young people trying to get on the housing ladder, so that is welcome news as well.
“The M9 on/off junction has been required in Linlithgow for many years. If granted, that must be one of the first things that is constructed, which was a stipulation we put to Wallace Land and that has been granted in principle.
“One of the negative elements associated with the development would be that we are using up some of our green belt sites.”
But he added: “This is an exciting proposal and we look forward to holding discussions with the public.”
A public consultation over the plans, hosted by Linlithgow and Linlithgow Bridge Community Council, is expected to take place in March.
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Comments
There are 20 comments to this article
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number withheld
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 02:46 PMsome standard responses here - there will 'probably' be no public transport, nice assumption. kill the town centre? how often does anyone go into the town centre to do their food shopping, even if they do im sure they just drive to the supermarket and away again. some of the new people will be 'socially unsuitable' - nice one that. did anyone realise that we have a shortage of housing in the country? there will only be one winner - the developer. what about the new families attracted to the area as it provides new family housing which is lacking across the country - new families bring money into an area. and as for 'it will always be known as the 'new bit', do me a favour - how narrow minded are you. what about job creation? why are so many people anti development and progress? typical scottish attitude of aw it will never happen. why are transport scotland not building a junction - cos the government has no money. we might lose some of the green belt. the green belt does not mean no development ever - that is a myth, it means that we have to very strictly control its release only when neccessary. the green belt of edinburgh has been the reason why so many towns round and about have grown, because edinburgh council has shifted all their development needs to other commuter towns ahead of utilising its own green belt land over the years - making less sustainable travel patterns as communting distances increase. and dont give me there are plenty of brownfield sites they can build on - there's not, not that many where housing is either viable or suitable and where do the businesses of the future locate if we use all the industrial and business land for housing. im sure this proposal will ultimately be considered as part of the local development plan so no need to worry about that.
wayneb
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 12:05 AMThere are so many smart responses here...people who obviously see the reality of the situation. The unfortunate reality in situations like this as the new houses arrive in the hundreds and people in the thousands - they're just plonked into (for many a likely) new environment...disconnected from the locals and the local scene. Many will never integrate. Some will be socially unsuitable. There will be a stigmatism attached to the 'new part of town' that will last for decades...possibly until it becomes run down and the decision is made to replace it with yet another 'new town'. I love Scotland, but this sort of mega build is a serious intrusion on Linlithgow and despite whatever anyone says, there is little if anything to be gained by the locals. One need only look at similar schemes around the country. All those architectural drawing portray paradise. The reality is more prison and purgatory...punishment for all. Except the entrepreneurs who - possibly - savour living in a more ideal 'new town'...the New Town in Edinburgh.
samcoldstream
Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 08:03 PMEdinburgh based Wallace Land(Investment & Management) is "investing in strategic land opportunities across Scotland and the North of England. Its Anglo-Scottish management team has a 30 year record of delivering 25 unit housing sites to major urban expansions across Scotland and England." (Source: The Herald)
Irritatingly Intelligent Chauvinist
Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 05:27 PMIt's such a good idea it's bound to be rejected by councillors.
SS10
Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 05:26 PMYou got to laugh, the Scottish Gvt are mean't to be encouraging 'sustainable' transport modes, and here is a housing development right next to a motorway, with probably zero public transport planned, so I wonder what the preferred mode of transport will be for this little lot ?
freeesian
Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 05:00 PMmore west lothian folks moaning about the possibility of fresh DNA being available in their town... they never needed it before and they don't need it now either.
Pentlands22
Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 03:59 PMNo 7 - the usual bilge !! As one who spent 30 years building "affordable " housing, for sale or shared ownership or for rent it was always good quality construction, well designed and fit for purpose for a good deal longer than the 20 years you estimate ! In fact some of those from the 70`s still look pretty presentable now. Think before you let your belly rumble please or if you can`t talk sense - keep it shut !!!
I Paton
Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 03:48 PM#11... I doubt it stacks up in traffic terms for the High Street because a superstore is likely to draw additional trade from the west even if traffic is reduced heading westwards. In any case, why don't Transport Scotland fund the slip roads if they are so important? The junction is a fig-leaf.
Belle du Jeer
Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 03:47 PMI like the idea of Freudian slip roads.
Hazelkaye
Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 03:38 PMThe additional motorway slip roads to and from the west at this location are certain to be welcomed! Any traffic to and from the west has to travel via the High Street at present!
I Paton
Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 03:17 PMAffordable is standard planning talk. It means housing association or shared equity. These are usually the terraced houses plonked on the edge of a development near the power-lines or motorway (etc). The east of Linlithgow could probably accommodate some housing, but not a lot, and it would need to be well-screened, like the current pattern of development (which is meant to protect views tofrom the Palace). I'd prefer to see more of a development focus in areas like Armadale, Whitburn, Winchburgh and Whitecross (in Falkirk area) which have ongoing regeneration and job needs beyond that of Linlithgow. Armadale is now improving thanks to the railway line reopening and new housing.
Mario Antoinette
Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 03:09 PM2 is spot on , and will condemn Linlithgow to just another commuter town with more suburbia than town. It'll kill the High street. very hard to fight but I wish you well.
Munch
Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 03:03 PMWith plenty of unsold homes to be seen in and around Linlithgow, is there really a need for 600 more? As for the shopping - there is a huge shopping complex in Livingston, only 7 miles away. If you really feel the need for chainstore clothing and pizza in a soulless wasteland, that isn't too far to go. Linlithgow has a good selection of independent shops and a couple of supermarkets, the addition of an out-of-town shopping centre would ruin it. The developers are the only winners here, and I very much doubt if the council will listen to the views of locals - they haven't done in the past.
Beelzebub's amanuensis
Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 02:47 PM600 homes, of which 150 are so-called 'affordable'. Does this mean 450 will not be affordable? Since nobody can get a mortgage these days, who are they going to sell them to? There's no such thing as an unaffordable home - if someone can buy it, it's affordable to them. It would be more honest, and accurate, to describe 'affordable' housing as cheap. Most of it's only built to last 20 years anyway.
I Paton
Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 02:37 PMI was at the public consultation, at the community council meeting, I have children at the local primary school (which is oversubscribed with an overspill intermediate P1P2 class) and will be objecting to the application. Whatever Linlithgow needs, and the surrounding communities need, can be determined through the Local Development Plan process, which will begin shortly, rather than a developer-led money-making application. The spread of superstores is killing what remains of the High Street. http:news.sky.comhomebusinessarticle15931463
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