West Lothian restaurant plan rejected over concerns…

West Lothian restaurant plan rejected over concerns for local woodland

Plans for a split level restaurant with a balcony overlooking woodlands in Murieston have been rejected over concerns about the impact.

The plan was first discussed two months ago, but delayed over concerns about parking problems the new building would create at the Bankton shopping centre in Murieston on the southern fringe of Livingston.

Having compiled detailed studies of parking in the area , which showed there would be little impact from customer use of the cafe and restaurant, Z1 properties returned to the council chambers this week hoping to convince the DMC of their plans.

But it was the impact - not on the shopping area or parking - but on the surrounding woodland and a footpath through the woods which prompted local councillor Lawrence Fitzpatrick, fearing damage to the woodlands, particularly to the root systems of mature trees surrounding the site, to recommend refusal.

He was backed up by Bathgate councillor, the SNPs Pauline Stafford who had pointed out that the split level design and balcony would intrude onto a popular pathway through woods which is also used as a safe route to school.

Councillor Stafford had expressed concerns when the plan was last discussed that access to the path would be disrupted by the development.

She told West Lothian’s Development Management Committee this week that it had been a debate between encouraging development and successful businesses and safeguarding land as open space.

Councillor Stafford added: “This building is really well designed. It’s lovely, and I would use a building like this if it was there. But I think we do have to start thinking about how we value green spaces and access to open spaces.

“One of the unique things about Livingston is that you go for a walk and feel like you are just out in the countryside and yet you are a stone’s throw from an urban setting and to , very slowly encroach, incrementally, on it I think we would start to lose quite a lot. I appreciate all the extra work that has gone into the car parking but I would stick with what the planners have said here.”

Planning officers had recommended refusal for reasons including the impact on surrounding green space and the threat to mature trees. In the latest report they added: " Fundamentally the development of the protected open space is unacceptable."

While the council received eight objections to the plans it received 22 in favour of the development. The owner of the shopping centre, Ashkar Ali, who also owns a shopping centre in Eliburn, said he was keen to enhance the area and the new restaurant would provide construction jobs as well as service jobs when it opened.

The building would have been located on a tree covered embankment on the edge of the existing shopping area and would extend to the Murieston Water path which runs approximately 3.8m below the Bankton Centre car park.

Mr Ali told the meeting that there was adequate parking at the Bankton Centre and neighbouring Livingston South railway station he said the proposed building would operate as a coffee shop during the day and a restaurant - serving no more than 70 people at nights- between 5 and 11pm.

Both he and an agent said the balcony would mainly be used during the summer months.