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Open Space Plan

West Lothian Council's current Open Space Plan provides an overall vision for the provision, development, regeneration and management of open spaces throughout West Lothian.

Why Open Space is important 

It addresses the following challenges:

  • Environmental sustainability
  • Climate change resilience
  • Health and healthier lifestyles
  • Inclusion and social equity
  • Sustainable economics
  • Quality of place and place competitiveness

Draft Open Space Plan 2025-34

The council has prepared a draft Open Space Plan 2025-34, as a proposed replacement of the current Open Space Plan. Consultation is now open on the draft Plan to allow the public and stakeholders to provide feedback prior to a final version being drawn up for adoption by the council. The opportunity to make comment on the draft Plan is available until Thursday 6 March 2025.

The draft Open Space Plan 2025-34 comprises a text document and an audit of open space presented as a digitised map. The document is available - Draft Open Space Plan (PDF, 15 MB)(opens new window). The digitised map is available - West Lothian Map (opens new window).

If you would like to make comment on the draft Plan please use the consultation feedback form - West Lothian Open Space Plan 2025-34 - Consultation (opens new window)

Open Space Plan

Open Space
Open Space has a key role in delivering environmental, social and economic outcomes throughout West Lothian and links with the Local Outcomes Improvement Plan and the Local Development Plan. Equally important is the need to deliver real and meaningful benefits to communities that address local needs in a manner that offers best value.

The Open Space Plan, supported by a detailed Open Space Audit and GIS mapping database, offers a powerful tool kit to improve Open Space planning in West Lothian.

It is an instrument for bringing together the aims of different council services with responsibilities for open space and liaising with users, community groups, other organisations and the private sector. It provides a strategic overview for the provision, development, regeneration and management of Open Space within West Lothian. It also provides clear standards for assessing the quantity, quality and accessibility of open spaces, helping us to identify areas where open spaces are in good supply, where they are needed and where the quality of the open spaces offered needs to be improved.

The Open Space Plan 2020-24 brings together information on urban parks, play areas, food growing, sports facilities, public arts, country parks, trees and woodlands, cemeteries, biodiversity/geodiversity sites, green and blue networks and the core path network.

Scotland's GreenSpace map

This interactive map provides information on the location, extent and type of greenspace across all of Scotland's towns and cities with a population of 3,000 or more. It categorises greenspaces into 23 different types including public parks, play areas, allotments, amenity greenspace and private gardens.

You can search for your nearest greenspace by clicking on 'Start Here' and entering your postcode in the search box.