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 dates31,672Searchable applications
266Recorded as pending
91%Approval rate · 28,890 approved or refused records
2,542Refused applications
26,348 approved · 2,542 refused · 1,684 withdrawn. Received dates in our records: 6 Jan 1992 to 30 Oct 2026. Most recent record check: 7 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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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/0179/A/98
Erection of a bus shelter with two advertising panels
A89 Nr Bangour Hospital, (Eastbound), Dechmont
Received 11 Mar 1998 - DecidedLIVE/0988/FUL/97
Erection of a house
- Cappers Farm, Armadale
Received 31 Dec 1997 - DecidedLIVE/0557/H/01
To demolish porch and erect conservatory
Thorne Cottage, East Binney, Ecclesmachan
Received 30 Dec 1997 - DecidedLIVE/0982/FUL/97
Extension to existing sheltered housing development consisting of 15 flats
Brucefield House, East Main Street, Whitedalehead, Whitburn
Received 30 Dec 1997 - DecidedLIVE/0978/FUL/97
Erection of house and garage
Plot 8 Murieston Woods, Murieston, Livingston
Received 23 Dec 1997 - DecidedLIVE/0205/FUL/98
Change of use from commercial garage to retail
16 Main Street, Longridge
Received 10 Mar 1998 - DecidedLIVE/0164/H/98
Extension to house
Plot 4 West Harwood Farm, West Calder
Received 9 Mar 1998 - DecidedLIVE/0166/H/98
Erection of a conservatory
19 Torridon Walk, Craigshill, Livingston
Received 9 Mar 1998 - DecidedLIVE/0165/H/98
Demolition of existing outhouse and erection of a conservatory
Westbrae, Falkirk Road, Linlithgow
Received 9 Mar 1998 - DecidedLIVE/0171/P/98
Outline Planning Permission for the formation of 7 serviced plots
- Northfield Meadows, Longridge
Received 9 Mar 1998 - DecidedLIVE/0167/H/98
Extension to house
46 Overton Crescent, East Calder
Received 6 Mar 1998 - DecidedLIVE/0162/FUL/98
Erection of a house
Plot 23 Willow Park, Fauldhouse
Received 6 Mar 1998 - DecidedLIVE/0155/FUL/98
Substitution of house types to plots 20-28 and plots 39,44,45 and 46
- Kingfisher Rise, Hawthorn Bank, Seafield
Received 6 Mar 1998 - DecidedLIVE/0874/A/93
Erection of signboards
Madeira Mar, Bathgate Road, Armadale
Received 15 Dec 1993 - DecidedLIVE/0874/FUL/96
Part Change of Use to Car Park for Minibus Operators Premises and Erection of Portacabin
Muir Road, Livingston
Received 2 Oct 1996 - DecidedLIVE/0388/FUL/97
Erection of 2 office buildings, associated car parking, bin stores and access link to existing roads layout
- Fairways Business Park, Knightsridge, Livingston
Received 27 May 1997 - DecidedLIVE/0387/H/97
Erection of 1.8 m high fence
10,12,13,15,16,18,19,21 Melbourne Street, Craigshill, Livingston
Received 26 May 1997 - DecidedLIVE/0386/FUL/97
Conversion of farm out-building into a house
- Hardhill Farm, Bathgate
Received 26 May 1997 - DecidedLIVE/0402/FUL/97
Erection of a golf club house and formation of a car park
- West Of Willowdean, Bridgend, EH49 6NW
Received 26 May 1997 - DecidedLIVE/0401/A/97
Erection of illuminated free standing and fascia signs
- Inchwood, Bathgate, EH48 2EH
Received 26 May 1997 - DecidedLIVE/0407/H/97
Erection of a conservatory
11 Station Road, Uphall, EH52 5DX
Received 26 May 1997 - DecidedLIVE/0987/FUL/97
Change of use of public open space to private garden ground and erection of a conservatory
61 Bellsburn Avenue, Linlithgow
Received 22 Dec 1997 - DecidedLIVE/0974/A/97
Sign at entrance
Houstoun House Hotel -, Uphall
Received 19 Dec 1997 - DecidedLIVE/0971/LBC/97
Listed Building Consent and planning permission for alterations to walls at main entrance
Houstoun House Hotel -, Uphall
Received 18 Dec 1997
Records are ordered by application ID, not submission date. Use search to find a particular address or proposal.
View all applicationsApplications by postcode area
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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