Plans to build a house on a farm steading in West Lothian have been backed by councillors despite concerns over a lack of public transport.
The chair of the Development Management Committee admitted “ there might not be a bus any time soon” past the site on Mill Road, just outside Armadale.
Councillors disputed whether new planning demands to "facilitate sustainable transport" could be met.
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Planners had recommended refusal of a plan by Jamie Hardie to demolish an outbuilding and replace it with a three bedroom house at Glencroft, Woodend, off Mill Road on the northern fringe of the town.
Planners said that although it was a brownfield site with existing buildings the house would be considered as out-with the settlement boundary of Armadale and thus classed as unwarranted house building in the countryside.
There are two existing homes adjoining the site along with a farm sheds of corrugated iron and brick.
Other reasons given for refusal come under new planning regulations brought in in February one of which states that housing developments should only be considered when it can “promote and facilitate sustainable transport modes”.
The planning papers suggested: “Whilst this is a brownfield site, it is a rural location that would be car dependent and this site has not been allocated in the local plan for housing.
Papers added: “The site is in a countryside location with no public transport links. The site is accessed from a road that is unlit and has no footpaths.”
Chairing the meeting, Councillor Stuart Borrowman noted that given forthcoming cuts to public transport it could be argued that any future development in nearby Blackridge - which is set to lose its commercial bus service - could be refused.
Mr Hardie told the meeting that historically Woodend originally had 64 homes and had been considered as a village though few buildings actually remain beyond the existing neighbouring homes. He said that where he proposed to build his new house is currently ground occupied by a large metal shed.
An agent, Colin Hardie, said his client’s plans would be an improvement on the existing site and the high quality finish proposed would be unobtrusive in the landscape.
There were no objections from neighbours to the plan and councillors were sympathetic to the proposal.
Council leader Lawrence Fitzpatrick said: “I don’t see this as a blot in the middle of the landscape.” He said he would support the development if relevant biodiversity requirements were met.
Councillor Pauline Clark said: “I think this is one of these occasions where the house looks attractive. The distance to the town is quite close. When I drove up there were actually a couple of people walking down to the garden centre near there.”
Councillor Borrowman said: “I’m certainly sympathetic to this. I don’t remember Woodend village, but it's not a suburban location. There’s no increase in footprint here. At its simplest it is replacing one building with one use with another building with a different use."
He added: “There’s no extension of the urban footprint. It is a low key design. I have been on a bus past this site, but probably 60 years ago. We need to take a pragmatic approach, there might not be a bus any time soon.”
He said the demand for facilitating sustainable transport in this case was “in reality, an unattainable aspiration.”
Councillors backed the house plan adding conditions demanding further planning reports which had not been submitted, but were agreed. Mr Hardie also agreed to a Section 75 contribution.
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