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 dates31,683Searchable applications
275Recorded as pending
91%Approval rate · 28,891 approved or refused records
2,543Refused applications
26,348 approved · 2,543 refused · 1,684 withdrawn. Received dates in our records: 6 Jan 1992 to 4 Nov 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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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/0794/FUL/95
Change of use of ground floor to office
28 East Main Street, Whitburn
Received 13 Nov 1995 - DecidedLIVE/0794/FUL/94
Change of use from hotel to residential
Star Hotel East Main Street, Armadale
Received 21 Oct 1994 - DecidedLIVE/0794/FUL/93
Erection of a house and garage
Plot 12 Site At Braehead, Linlithgow
Received 8 Nov 1993 - DecidedLIVE/0793/P/92
Outline planning permission for a residential development
Alma Cottage Greenburn, Fauldhouse
Received 11 Nov 1992 - DecidedLIVE/0793/H/95
Erection of a conservatory
7 Northfield Cottages, West Calder
Received 13 Nov 1995 - DecidedLIVE/0793/FUL/96
Erection of a house
Plot 2 Brushwood Ridge, Torphichen
Received 6 Sept 1996 - DecidedLIVE/0793/FUL/94
Proposed extension to joinery shop
Westwood Works Westwood, West Calder, EH55 8PN
Received 21 Oct 1994 - DecidedLIVE/1028/FUL/96
Change of use to form dog grooming and pet foods shop
2 Ochilview Square, Armadale
Received 28 Nov 1996 - DecidedLIVE/1027/A/96
Erection of an illuminated facia sign
Unit Msu 4 Almondvale Phase 2, Livingston
Received 28 Nov 1996 - DecidedLIVE/0540/FUL/93
Erection of boundary walls and porch
27 Falside Terrace, Bathgate, EH48 2DH
Received 30 Jul 1993 - DecidedLIVE/0540/FUL/92
Erection of new access stair
36 West Main Street, Whitburn, EH47 0QX
Received 27 Jul 1992 - DecidedLIVE/0539/H/96
Extension to house
74 Robertson Way, Livingston, EH54 8RE
Received 21 Jun 1996 - DecidedLIVE/0539/FUL/95
Extension to garage
Newhouse Farm Cottage Avonbridge Road, Armadale
Received 24 Jul 1995 - DecidedLIVE/0539/FUL/94
Erection of a storage building
Stoneyburn Bowling Club , Stoneyburn
Received 20 Jul 1994 - DecidedLIVE/0539/FUL/93
Proposed commercial/industrial development including PFS, restaurant and motel
Starlaw Park Tailend Park, Bathgate
Received 30 Jul 1993 - DecidedLIVE/0539/FUL/92
Erection of a conservatory
1 Glenalmond, Whitburn
Received 27 Jul 1992 - DecidedLIVE/0538/P/93
Outline planning permission for 350 houses
Site At Pumpherston Road, Uphall Station
Received 30 Jul 1993 - DecidedLIVE/0538/FUL/96
Change of use from retail shop to indoor market incorporating status and cafe/snack bar
6 Hopetoun Street, Bathgate
Received 21 Jun 1996 - DecidedLIVE/0538/FUL/95
Formation of a driveway and wheelchair store for disabled person
26 Philip Avenue, Linlithgow
Received 26 Jul 1995 - DecidedLIVE/0538/FUL/94
Listed Building Consent and planning permission for double glazing
27 Bank Street, Mid Calder, EH53 0AS
Received 19 Jul 1994 - DecidedLIVE/0538/FUL/92
Proposed dormer extension
53 Main Street, Winchburgh
Received 27 Jul 1992 - DecidedLIVE/0936/H/96
Install pitched roof on flat roofed house
Winnock, Burnside Road, Bathgate
Received 24 Oct 1996 - DecidedLIVE/0936/FUL/94
Formation of a vehicular access and extension to staff car park
St. Kentigerns Academy West Main Street, Blackburn
Received 14 Dec 1994 - DecidedLIVE/0935/H/96
Erection of garage and storage shed
103 Lanrigg Road, Fauldhouse
Received 23 Oct 1996
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 permission drawings: how to read plans
Read planning drawings, floor plans, elevations and sections. Use labelled diagrams, a drawing comparison table and revision checks to understand a proposal.
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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