Planning guidance and background information supporting the West Lothian Local Development Plan 2018 (LDP 1)
There is a comprehensive suite of statutory and non-statutory planning guidance supporting the Adopted West Lothian Local Development Plan.
Planning Guidance
- Planning and Noise Supplementary Guidance (PDF, 710 KB)(opens new window) Approved April 2017 / Adopted February 2019
- Development in the Countryside Supplementary Guidance (PDF, 804 KB)(opens new window) Approved October 2018 / Adopted March 2019
- SG - Supplementary Guidance : Residential Development Guide - Incorporating waste management update - October 2023 (PDF, 4 MB)(opens new window) Approved November 2017 (amended February 2019) / Adopted April 2019
- Flooding and Drainage Supplementary Guidance (PDF, 1 MB)(opens new window) Approved October 2018 / Adopted April 2019
- Supplementary Guidance (SG) - Affordable Housing (PDF, 620 KB)(opens new window) Approved October 2018 (amended November 2018, May 2019, revised December 2024) / Original Version Adopted May 2019, Revised Version Adopted March 2025
- SG - Supplementary Guidance : Developer Contributions Towards Public Art (Adopted January 2020) pdf (PDF, 877 KB)(opens new window) Approved October 2019 / Adopted January 2020
- SG - Supplementary Guidance : Minerals (Including Restoration Bonds) (Adopted February 2020) v2 (PDF, 5 MB)(opens new window) Approved October 2019 / Adopted February 2020
- SG - Supplementary Guidance : Developer Obligations for General Infrastructure Site Delivery (Adopted September, 2020) (PDF, 291 KB)(opens new window) Approved June 2020 / Adopted September 2020
- SG - Supplementary Guidance : Planning & Education (Adopted May 2021) (PDF, 335 KB)(opens new window) Approved January 2021 / Adopted May 2021
- SG - Supplementary Guidance : Wind Energy Development (Adopted June 2021) (PDF, 8 MB)(opens new window) Approved April 2021 / Adopted June 2021
- SG - Supplementary Guidance : Renewables and Low Carbon Energy Development (Excluding Wind Energy) (Adopted July 2021) (PDF, 1 MB)(opens new window) Approved May 2021 / Adopted July 2021
- SG - Supplementary Guidance : Developer Contributions Towards Cemetery Provision (Adopted August 2021) (PDF, 166 KB)(opens new window) Approved January 2021 / Adopted August 2021
- West Lothian Active Travel Plan 2016-21 "Making Active Connections" (PDF, 2 MB)(opens new window)
- Health Impact Assessment Planning Guidance (PDF, 984 KB)(opens new window)
- Air Quality PG (PDF, 1 MB)(opens new window)
- PG - Planning Guidance : Controlling Obtrusive Lighting (Adopted March, 2020) (PDF, 902 KB)(opens new window)
- PG - Planning Guidance : Planning for Nature : Development Management and Wildlife (Adopted April, 2020) (PDF, 3 MB)(opens new window)
- PG - Planning Guidance : Mobile Snack Bars (Adopted May, 2020) (PDF, 189 KB)(opens new window)
- PG - Planning Guidance : Shopfronts and Advertisements in Conservation Areas (Adopted May 2020/corrected September 2024) (PDF, 2 MB)(opens new window)
- PG - Planning Guidance - House Extension & Alteration Design Guide (Adopted October 2020) * (PDF, 270 KB)(opens new window)
- PG - Planning Guidance : Areas of Built Heritage and Townscape Value - The Shale Miners Rows (Adopted November 2020) (PDF, 433 KB)(opens new window)
- PG - Planning Guidance : The Vennel, Linlithgow (Adopted November 2020) (PDF, 1 MB)(opens new window)
- PG - Planning Guidance : Non-employment Uses Within Employment Areas (Adopted January 2021) (PDF, 142 KB)(opens new window)
- PG - Planning Guidance: The Historic Environment (Adopted April 2021) (PDF, 11 MB)(opens new window)
- PG - Planning Guidance : Soil Management & After Use of Soils on Development Sites (Adopted April 2021) (PDF, 337 KB)(opens new window)
- PG – Planning Guidance: Historic Battlefield - Battle of Linlithgow Bridge (Adopted January 2023) (PDF, 1 MB)(opens new window)
- PG - Planning Guidance - Alteration and replacement of windows in listed buildings and in conservation areas - Adopted January 2025 (PDF, 1 MB)(opens new window)
Drafted guidance (pending approval)
Planning guidance provides additional detail on specific subject areas and explains how planning policies will be implemented. It is produced as either 'statutory' supplementary guidance (SG) or 'non-statutory' planning guidance (PG).
Statutory SG must be referenced within the Local Development Plan, consulted on and approved by Scottish Ministers. Once adopted, SG has statutory weight in the determination of planning applications and forms part of the plan.
Non-statutory PG is not subject to approval by Scottish Ministers and is not part of the development plan. It does not have the same weight as SG but is a 'material consideration' when deciding planning applications.
As a consequence of National Planning Framework 4 having been adopted on 13 February 2023, local planning authorities were only able to prepare and adopt (statutory) supplementary guidance associated with LDPs until 31 March 2025. No further statutory guidance will now be produced. The preparation and approval of non-statutory planning guidance can continue to be brought forward.
A suite of 'Supplementary Planning Guidance - SPG' was previously prepared to support the West Lothian Local Plan 2009 (WLLP). When the WLLP was replaced in September 2018 by the West Lothian Local Development Plan (LDP 1) these SPGs ceased to have formal status but they remain material considerations until replaced. They can be viewed under the tab 'Archived Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG)' at Superseded West Lothian Local Plan 2009 (WLLP) .
Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Screening
- Renewables and Low Carbon Energy Development Excluding Wind Energy - Statutory Notice (PDF, 80 KB)(opens new window)
- Renewables and Low Carbon Energy Development Excluding Wind Energy - Screening Report (PDF, 147 KB)(opens new window)
- Renewables and Low Carbon Energy Development Excluding Wind Energy - Screening Determination (PDF, 1 MB)(opens new window)
- Wind Energy Development - Statutory Notice (PDF, 79 KB)(opens new window)
- Wind Energy Development - Screening Report (PDF, 179 KB)(opens new window)
- Wind Energy Development - Screening Determination (PDF, 976 KB)(opens new window)
- Soil Management & the After Use of Soils on Development Sites - Statutory Notice (PDF, 79 KB)(opens new window)
- Soil Management & the After Use of Soils on Development Sites - Screening Report (PDF, 796 KB)(opens new window)
- Soil Management & the After Use of Soils on Development Sites - Screening Determination (PDF, 1 MB)(opens new window)
- The Historic Environment - Statutory Notice (PDF, 95 KB)(opens new window)
- The Historic Environment - Screening Report (PDF, 766 KB)(opens new window)
- The Historic Environment - Screening Determination (PDF, 1 MB)(opens new window)
- Planning & Education - Statutory Notice (PDF, 78 KB)(opens new window)
- Planning & Education - Screening Report (PDF, 218 KB)(opens new window)
- Planning & Education - Screening Determination (PDF, 253 KB)(opens new window)
- Developer Contributions Towards Cemetery Provision - Statutory Notice (PDF, 79 KB)(opens new window)
- Developer Contributions Towards Cemetery Provision - Screening Report (PDF, 185 KB)(opens new window)
- Developer Contributions Towards Cemetery Provision - Screening Determination (PDF, 1 MB)(opens new window)
- Non-employment Uses Within Employment Areas - Statutory Notice (PDF, 78 KB)(opens new window)
- Non-employment Uses Within Employment Areas - Screening Report (PDF, 149 KB)(opens new window)
- Non-employment Uses Within Employment Areas - Screening Determination (PDF, 1 MB)(opens new window)
- Developer Contributions Towards Transport Infrastructure - Statutory Notice (PDF, 80 KB)(opens new window)
- Developer Contributions Towards Transport Infrastructure - Screening Report (PDF, 230 KB)(opens new window)
- Developer Contributions Towards Transport Infrastructure - Screening Determination (PDF, 1 MB)(opens new window)
- Areas of Built Heritage - The Shale Miners Rows - Statutory Notice (PDF, 80 KB)(opens new window)
- Areas of Built Heritage - The Shale Miners Rows - Screening Report (PDF, 198 KB)(opens new window)
- Areas of Built Heritage - The Shale Miners Rows - Screening Determination (PDF, 281 KB)(opens new window)
- The Vennel, Linlithgow - Statutory Notice (PDF, 78 KB)(opens new window)
- The Vennel, Linlithgow - Screening Report (PDF, 173 KB)(opens new window)
- The Vennel, Linlithgow - Screening Determination (PDF, 295 KB)(opens new window)
- House Alteration & Extension Design Guide - Statutory Notice (PDF, 79 KB)(opens new window)
- House Alteration & Extension Design Guide - Screening Report (PDF, 147 KB)(opens new window)
- House Alteration & Extension Design Guide - Screening Determination (PDF, 1 MB)(opens new window)
- Developer Obligations for General Infrastructure for Site Delivery (excluding transport and education infrastructure, cemetery and public art provision) - Statutory Notice (PDF, 79 KB)(opens new window)
- Developer Obligations for General Infrastructure for Site Delivery (excluding transport and education infrastructure, cemetery and public art provision) - Screening Report (PDF, 264 KB)(opens new window)
- Developer Obligations for General Infrastructure for Site Delivery (excluding transport and education infrastructure, cemetery and public art provision) - Screening Determination (PDF, 735 KB)(opens new window)
- Shopfronts & Advertisements in Conservation Areas - Statutory Notice (PDF, 101 KB)(opens new window)
- Shopfronts & Advertisements in Conservation Areas - Screening Report (PDF, 197 KB)(opens new window)
- Shopfronts & Advertisements in Conservation Areas - Screening Determination (PDF, 732 KB)(opens new window)
- Mobile Snack Bars - Statutory Notice (PDF, 100 KB)(opens new window)
- Mobile Snack Bars - Screening Report (PDF, 199 KB)(opens new window)
- Mobile Snack Bars - Screening Determination (PDF, 698 KB)(opens new window)
- Planning for Nature: Development Management and Wildlife - Statutory Notice (PDF, 96 KB)(opens new window)
- Planning for Nature: Development Management and Wildlife - Screening Report (PDF, 203 KB)(opens new window)
- Planning for Nature: Development Management and Wildlife - Screening Determination (PDF, 846 KB)(opens new window)
- Controlling Obtrusive Lighting (Light Pollution) and Reducing Lighting Energy Consumption - Statutory Notice (PDF, 100 KB)(opens new window)
- Controlling Obtrusive Lighting (Light Pollution) and Reducing Lighting Energy Consumption - Screening Report (PDF, 522 KB)(opens new window)
- Controlling Obtrusive Lighting (Light Pollution) and Reducing Lighting Energy Consumption - Screening Determination (PDF, 835 KB)(opens new window)
- Minerals (Including Restoration Bonds) - Statutory Notice (PDF, 403 KB)(opens new window)
- Minerals (Including Restoration Bonds) - SEA Screening Report (PDF, 520 KB)(opens new window)
- Minerals (Including Restoration Bonds) - SEA Screening Determination (PDF, 721 KB)(opens new window)
- Developer Contributions Towards Public Art - Statutory Notice (PDF, 404 KB)(opens new window)
- Developer Contributions Towards Public Art - SEA Screening Report (PDF, 625 KB)(opens new window)
- Developer Contributions Towards Public Art - SEA Screening Determination (PDF, 784 KB)(opens new window)
- Residential Development Guide: SEA Screening Report (PDF, 265 KB)(opens new window)
- Residential Development Guide: SEA Screening Determination (PDF, 428 KB)(opens new window)
- Planning and Noise: Screening Report (PDF, 340 KB)(opens new window)
- Planning and Noise: SEA Screening Determination (PDF, 1 MB)(opens new window)
- Air Quality : SEA Screening Report (PDF, 379 KB)(opens new window)
- Air Quality : SEA Screening Determination (PDF, 670 KB)(opens new window)
- Flooding and Water Environment : SEA Screening Report (PDF, 270 KB)(opens new window)
- Flooding and the Water Environment : SEA Screening Determination (PDF, 734 KB)(opens new window)
- Development in the Countryside : SEA Screening Report (PDF, 266 KB)(opens new window)
- Development in the Countryside : SEA Screening Determination (PDF, 666 KB)(opens new window)
- Affordable Housing : SEA Screening Report (PDF, 251 KB)(opens new window)
- Affordable Housing : SEA Screening Determination (PDF, 721 KB)(opens new window)
- PG - Planning Guidance - Historic Battlefield - Battle of Linlithgow Bridge - Statutory Notice (PDF, 68 KB)(opens new window)
- PG - Planning Guidance - Historic Battlefield - Battle of Linlithgow Bridge - Screening Report (PDF, 213 KB)(opens new window)
- PG - Planning Guidance - Historic Battlefield - Battle of Linlithgow Bridge - SEA Screening Determination (PDF, 684 KB)(opens new window)
- PG - Alteration of Windows in Listed Buildings and in Conservation Areas - SEA screening determination (PDF, 882 KB)(opens new window)
- PG - Alteration of Windows in Listed Buildings and in Conservation Areas - SEA screening report (PDF, 754 KB)(opens new window)
Background Information
West Lothian Council commissioned Land Use Consultants led by a steering group including Scottish Natural Heritage to undertake a review of the local landscape designations which had been identified in the West Lothian Local Plan (2009). The review was published as a background paper to the Main Issues Report of the West Lothian Local Development Plan and informed preparation of the Plan which was adopted in 2018.
The Statements of Importance (SOIs) for each special landscape area are within chapter 7 of the Review. The finalised boundaries of the Special Landscape Areas are however those shown in the Proposals Maps of the adopted LDP.
The West Lothian Landscape Character Classification is an in-house document prepared as a follow up to the West Lothian Local Landscape Designation Review.
It was also a background paper which informed preparation of the West Lothian Local Development Plan and in particular the text of policy ENV 1 Landscape Character and Special Landscape Areas.
This is a regional-scale, broad strategic study which was published in 2011. The Landscape Capacity Study provides base-line information for the West Lothian Landscape Character Classification and acts as a background technical study for the preparation of policy guidance on how to accommodate future wind energy developments.
The Forth Bridge was officially designated as a World Heritage Site on 5 July 2015 by UNESCO. As part of the protection of the landscape setting for the World Heritage Site status of The Forth Bridge, West Lothian Council is tasked with applying planning protection for Viewpoint 8: Newton (lay-by, A904) and Viewpoint 9: Viewing Tower at the House of the Binns.
The Wind Energy Data Map is not a 'live' resource but consolidates information at intervals throughout the year. For the most current information regarding the location of turbine applications determined or in the planning system it is therefore advisable to contact the Development Management team directly by email (opens new window).
- The Wind Energy Data map (PDF, 5 MB)(opens new window) is only updated periodically.
Core paths can be paths, waterways or any other means of crossing land to facilitate, promote and manage the exercise of access rights under the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003, and are identified as such in the council's Core Paths Plan. The Core Path Plan provides a basic framework of routes for the purpose of giving the public reasonable access throughout a particular area for walking, cycling, horse riding and other non-motorised activities.
Descriptions of paths in the Core Path Network
The Plan has been split into pdf files and includes map detail and descriptions of paths in the Core Path Network.
- DCPP 1 - Plan 1 (PDF, 2 MB)(opens new window) The Core Paths Plan Map
- DCPP 2 - Written Statement: (PDF, 3 MB)(opens new window) Introduction, Methodology, Candidate Core Path Criteria and Informal Consultations
- DCPP 3 - Plan 2 (PDF, 2 MB)(opens new window) Response to Informal Consultations
- DCPP 4 - Plan 3 (PDF, 167 KB)(opens new window) The Core Path Diagram 2030
- DCPP 5 - Plan 4 (PDF, 2 MB)(opens new window) Core Path Network
- DCPP 6 - Plan 5 (PDF, 3 MB)(opens new window) Detailed Map Index - use to identify which map you wish to view for paths and their description
- DCPP 27 - Written Statement: (PDF, 237 KB)(opens new window) Objectives and Policies Next Steps, Glossary and Description of Photos
For more information on the paths which each of the above plans covers, go to the West Lothian's Core Paths Plan webpage.
In 2008 the council commissioned the West Lothian Retail Capacity Study from consultants Halcrow. The purpose of this was to consider convenience shopping provision and make recommendations on the adequacy of retail floor space provided within West Lothian in relation to current and projected available expenditure. It is a material consideration to be taken into account in the determination of planning applications.
This version of the Lowland Crofting Handbook was produced in 2008. It remains the authoritative guide on the initiative and is specifically referred to in the adopted West Lothian Local Development Plan (2018) and also in supporting supplementary guidance (SG) Development in the Countryside.
This booklet is the result of a survey of farm steadings carried out the former West Lothian District Council and is referenced in the adopted West Lothian Local Development Plan 2018 and also in supporting supplementary guidance (SG) Development in the Countryside.
The many country houses spread across West Lothian contain locally important historical aspects of Scottish history, as well as archaeological remains. These houses, that are often several hundreds of years old, provide unique records of social, cultural and economic change at both local and national levels and greatly contribute to the national identity.
Within Scotland's country house estates, gardens and woodland policies are generally enclosed grounds with gardens surrounding a country house, developed usually for both pleasure and productive purposes.
The booklet link contains information on 23 country houses and small mansions across West Lothian alongside historical maps and an indication of the extent of the original estate boundary. Country house estates and woodland policies listed have in many cases retained their original character and are worthy of protection through general planning policies.
However, they are in the majority private residences and their curtilage extends to parts of the estate policies and hence Land Reform Act access rights do NOT apply and the privacy of these homes must be respected.
Country Houses Booklet (Summer 2022) (PDF, 13 MB)(opens new window)
In 2004 West Lothian Council, in partnership with Scottish Natural Heritage, commissioned the Scottish Agricultural College (SAC) to prepare a report on the soils of West Lothian. The report takes the form of a desktop study and seeks to increase awareness and understanding of the soils in West Lothian.
If you have any questions relating to planning guidance, SEA Screening, background information or just want to provide feedback and comments on our service, please email the Development Planning & Environment team at wlldp@westlothian.gov.uk (opens new window). You can also write to us at Development Planning & Environment, West Lothian Civic Centre, Howden South Road, Livingston, West Lothian EH54 6FF.
This page was last updated: 21 August 2024
