West Lothian planning committee decisions
20 decisions from the committee's minutes, 10 Sep 2025 to 9 Sep 2026. Each sets out what was proposed, what officers advised, what was said and how the committee decided.
1 in 7 decisions went against officer advice
Above the rate across all 346 councils with committee decisions on Plota (11.1%), 56th highest of 205 councils with at least 15 decisions.
- Decisions
- 20
- Approved
- 35%
- Against officer advice
- 15%
- Unanimous
- 45.5%
How West Lothian compares
Share of decisions against officer advice at the 205 councils with at least 15 decisions on Plota. Each dot is a council.
| 54 | Derbyshire Dales | 15.2% | 7 of 46 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 55 | Greenwich | 15% | 6 of 40 |
| 56 | West Lothian | 15% | 3 of 20 |
| 57 | North Lincs | 14.9% | 13 of 87 |
| 58 | Waverley | 14.9% | 7 of 47 |
Source: Plota analysis of committee minutes from 346 councils.
More or less favourable than its officers?
West Lothian's committee is in line with its officers. Officers recommended approval in 26.7% of these decisions; the committee approved 26.7%.
Across all 346 councils, committees approve 2.6 points fewer than their officers recommend, and West Lothian is close to that.
Over the 15 decided applications with a clear officer recommendation.
Source: Plota analysis of West Lothian's planning committee minutes and officer reports.
What it decides
35% approved and 65% refused. Of 11 decisions with a recorded vote, 5 were unanimous.
Show as a table
| Month | Approved | Refused | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 25 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Oct 25 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 25 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Feb 26 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Apr 26 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| May 26 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Jun 26 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Jul 26 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Aug 26 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| Sep 26 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
Source: Plota analysis of West Lothian's planning committee minutes.
When it overrules its officers
3 of 20 decisions went against the planning officers' recommendation.
Which way
What kind of application
From the 3 of 3 with a recorded application type; one application can count under more than one.
Source: Plota analysis of West Lothian's planning committee minutes and officer reports.
Recent decisions against officer advice
- 396sqm nursery and retail buildingLand At Beveridge Square LivingstonOfficers advised refusal because the building would cause cramming, lose vegetation and remain at flood risk.Approved
- One house2 Beechwood Gardens Blackburn West LothianOfficers advised refusal because the house would harm the estate’s character and the site’s safety had not been demonstrated.Approved
- 39 short-term let rooms57-61 South Bridge Street Bathgate West LothianOfficers advised approval because the proposal would reuse a vacant town-centre building, create employment and support local businesses.Refused
Latest decisions
Newest first. Each links to the full write-up: the proposal, the officers' advice, what was said and the vote.
September 2026 2
- Illuminated sign and roller shutter211 High Street Linlithgow West LothianRefused
- 14-bedroom HMOThe Heather Inn 1 Hillside Place Longridge West LothianRefused
August 2026 4
- Two short-term lets1 & 2 Bonnytoun Cottages LinlithgowRefused
- Four housesLand At Junction Of Mid Street And Rosemount Court BathgateRefused
- 1.5-storey house and garage11 Royal Terrace Linlithgow West LothianRefused
- 43 housesLand To South Of Station Mews Kirknewton West LothianApproved
July 2026 1
June 2026 3
Other committees nearby
- Aberdeenshire planning committee
- Angus planning committee
- Argyll planning committee
- Cairngorms planning committee
- Clackmannanshire planning committee
- Dumfries planning committee
- Dundee planning committee
- East Ayrshire planning committee
- East Dunbartonshire planning committee
- East Lothian planning committee
- East Renfrewshire planning committee
- Edinburgh planning committee
- Falkirk planning committee
- Fife planning committee
- Glasgow planning committee
- Highland planning committee
- Inverclyde planning committee
- Loch Lomond planning committee
- Moray planning committee
- North Ayrshire planning committee
- North Lanarkshire planning committee
- Orkney planning committee
- Perth planning committee
- Renfrewshire planning committee