Understanding planning · 13 min read
Planning application documents: what to read first
Understand planning application documents, officer reports and decision notices. Use a reading checklist, document table and worked example to inspect a case.
Scotland · Local authority
West Lothian planning applications
PlanningTrack collects planning applications and decisions from the public planning register of West Lothian. Search an address, application reference or proposal. Official West Lothian website
Collected application statistics
Collected records · All available dates31,667Searchable applications
271Recorded as pending
91%Approval rate · 28,881 approved or refused records
2,539Refused applications
26,342 approved · 2,539 refused · 1,684 withdrawn. Received dates in our records: 6 Jan 1992 to 29 Oct 2026. Most recent record check: 3 Nov 2026. Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.
Local planning information
Council sources checked 14 Sept 2026Planning information Planning & Building StandardsLocal plan Local Development Plan (LDP 1)Pre-application advice Pre-Application EnquiryConservation areas Listed Buildings, Conservation Areas and Scheduled Monuments
Council contacts
- Planning enquiriescustomer.service@westlothian.gov.ukCouncil source
Contact details were found on council pages. Check the source for opening hours and which enquiries the service handles.
Conservation areas and Article 4 directions
Explore published planning boundaries and follow their source records for designation details. Coverage varies: an empty map does not mean there are no restrictions. Check the council’s current maps and documents before relying on a boundary.
Conservation areas10 mapped area records
Article 4 direction areasBoundary dataset not connected
Interactive planning map loads with JavaScript. Dataset sources are linked below.
Download Article 4 coverage for all authorities (CSV)
Data downloaded 14 Sept 2026. Display boundaries are simplified and indicative. Map record counts are not a complete count of designations or directions.
Source: Historic Environment Scotland. Contains Historic Environment Scotland and Ordnance Survey data © Historic Environment Scotland – Scottish Charity No. SC045925 © Crown copyright and database right 2026. Open Government Licence v3.0. Data is indicative and may not contain the latest designations.
More application records
- DecidedLIVE/0026/P/00
Outline Planning Permission for residential development and associated vehicular access and landscaping works
- Former Bangour General Hospital, Dechmont
Received 13 Jan 2000 - DecidedLIVE/0024/H/00
Installation of replacement windows
30 Smithy Brae, Kirknewton
Received 13 Jan 2000 - DecidedLIVE/0491/FUL/99
Erection of a telecommunications equipment housing building
- Braehead Road, Linlithgow
Received 18 Jun 1999 - DecidedLIVE/0866/FUL/00
Amendment ot planning permission 867/M/96 to allow existing site operations to continue until 1st June 2004
- Green Bing, Broxburn
Received 11 Sept 2000 - DecidedLIVE/0907/P/00
Outline planning permission for a residential development
- Eastfield Road, Fauldhouse
Received 11 Sept 2000 - DecidedLIVE/0908/FUL/00
Part change of use to include used car sales
Unit 3 Arrol Square, Deans Industrial Estate, Livingston
Received 11 Sept 2000 - DecidedLIVE/0767/FUL/00
Siting of static caravan for use as granny flat
272 West Main Street, Whitburn
Received 14 Aug 2000 - DecidedLIVE/0776/FUL/00
Conversion and extension of stables and former farm building to a house
Broadshaw -, Harburn
Received 14 Aug 2000 - DecidedLIVE/0781/FUL/99
Formation of a synthetic football pitch with metal boundary fence and floolights and erection of a 300 seat spectator stand
Craigswood Sports Centre -, Livingston
Received 5 Oct 1999 - DecidedLIVE/0687/FUL/99
Erection of a South stand and infilling of North East and South East Corners of stadium
- Alderstone Road, Livingston
Received 3 Sept 1999 - DecidedLIVE/0688/FUL/99
Erection of a detached double garage
East Coach House Ormiston Fary, Leyden Road, Kirknewton
Received 2 Sept 1999 - DecidedLIVE/0683/FUL/99
Formation of flat over shop and extension to shop
West End Store, Moorlands, Addiewell
Received 30 Jul 1999 - DecidedLIVE/0592/FUL/99
Formation of a new access road
- Adambrae, Livingston
Received 30 Jul 1999 - DecidedLIVE/0591/FUL/99
Erection of a house and garage
Plot 17 Willow Park, Fauldhouse
Received 30 Jul 1999 - DecidedLIVE/0590/FUL/99
Erection of a house and garage
Plot 5 Willow Park, Fauldhouse
Received 30 Jul 1999 - DecidedLIVE/0586/FUL/99
Upgrading of electrical & mechanical plant including the provision of new stormwater tanks and associated works
- Bridgecastle Road, Waste Water Treatment Works, Armadale
Received 29 Jul 1999 - DecidedLIVE/0267/FUL/00
Paint external walls of house and garage
Fir Park Westfield Road, Torphichen
Received 16 Mar 2000 - DecidedLIVE/0600/H/00
Two storey extension to house
25 Sommers Park, Mid Calder
Received 9 Jun 2000 - DecidedLIVE/0569/H/00
Installation of a dormer
24 Highfield Crescent, Linlithgow
Received 8 Jun 2000 - DecidedLIVE/0576/ARM/00
Erection of 5 houses with garages
The New Inn, Auldhill Road, Bridgend
Received 8 Jun 2000 - DecidedLIVE/0486/H/99
Extension and alterations to house and erection of a garage with games room
7 Northwood Park, Deans, Livingston
Received 17 Jun 1999 - DecidedLIVE/0759/FUL/99
Erection of 4 houses and 1 hot food take-away with flat above
- Ash Grove, Blackburn
Received 30 Sept 1999 - UnknownLIVE/0758/FUL/99
Erection of a house
- Weavers Lane, West Main Street, Whitburn
Received 30 Sept 1999 - DecidedLIVE/0756/A/99
Erection of illuminated fascia signage and window graphics
- Eliburn Road, Eliburn, Livingston
Received 30 Sept 1999
Records are ordered by application ID, not submission date. Use search to find a particular address or proposal.
View all applicationsApplications by postcode area
Get emailed about new planning applications in West Lothian
Area alerts send a daily or weekly email with new applications and decisions near a postcode, filtered by project type. £29 a month, up to 3 areas. Records are limited to the councils we collect.
Set up an area alertResearching a proposal in West Lothian
Start with the address or application reference. Open a record to read the proposal, dates and available documents, then check the official register for the latest plans and consultation details. If nothing appears, check coverage before treating the result as a complete planning history.
Planning procedures in Scotland differ from those in England. Use the authority’s own guidance for application requirements, comments and decision timescales.
How to search planning applicationsGuides to planning records
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Planning approval rates: how to read council statistics
Understand planning approval rates with an interactive calculator, worked examples and comparison table. Check sample sizes, outcomes and coverage before comparing.
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What these statistics cover
These figures describe applications collected by PlanningTrack for West Lothian, across all dates currently available. They are a partial dataset, rather than an authority-wide performance measure. The date range does not establish continuous historical coverage.
The approval percentage is approved records divided by approved plus refused records. Pending, withdrawn and unknown outcomes are excluded. No percentage is shown until there is an approved or refused record.
Check collection coverage