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 · 28,889 approved or refused records
2,544Refused applications
26,345 approved · 2,544 refused · 1,684 withdrawn. Received dates in our records: 6 Jan 1992 to 4 Nov 2026. Most recent record check: 9 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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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/0024/FUL/97
Installation of a satellite antenna
North Street, Armadale
Received 20 Jan 1997 - DecidedLIVE/0024/FUL/96
Erection of 6 bedroomed residential home
Westfield Main Street, Philpstoun
Received 16 Jan 1996 - DecidedLIVE/0024/FUL/94
Extension to house
Holmlea Station Road, Kirknewton, EH27 8DG
Received 19 Jan 1994 - DecidedLIVE/0024/P/92
Outline Planning Permission for amenity housing comprising 14 flats at The Loan [west side], Torphichen.
The Loan(West Side), Torphichen
Received 15 Jan 1992 - DecidedLIVE/0023/H/97
Erection of a conservatory
8 Murieston Vale, Livingston, EH54 9EP
Received 20 Jan 1997 - DecidedLIVE/0030/FUL/96
Extension to factory
Unit 6 Mosshall Industrial Estate, Blackburn
Received 17 Jan 1996 - DecidedLIVE/0030/FUL/92
Change of use for radio controlled model aircraft flying
Site At Caputhall Tip, Livingston
Received 21 Jan 1992 - DecidedLIVE/0029/H/97
Extension to house
5 Scott Place, Fauldhouse
Received 22 Jan 1997 - DecidedLIVE/0029/H/96
Extension to house
13 Cedar Crescent, Whitburn
Received 16 Jan 1996 - DecidedLIVE/0029/A/93
Erection of signboards
Shopping Mall Craigshill West, Livingston, Clydesdale Bank
Received 18 Jan 1993 - DecidedLIVE/0029/FUL/95
Installation of a dormer
22 Avondale Crescent, Armadale
Received 20 Jan 1995 - DecidedLIVE/0029/FUL/94
Extension to existing dog kennels
Glenburn Cottage , Breich, EH55 8JF
Received 20 Jan 1994 - DecidedLIVE/0029/FUL/92
Change of use from storage to auction market
49C West End, West Calder
Received 21 Jan 1992 - DecidedLIVE/0028/FUL/97
Construction of 6.0m wide access road, erection of 2.4m high security fence and erection of temporary building
McIntosh Road, Livingston
Received 20 Jan 1997 - DecidedLIVE/0028/FUL/96
Erection of a 2 storey office building
Kirknewton Station , Kirknewton, EH27 8DA
Received 16 Jan 1996 - DecidedLIVE/0021/FUL/97
Erection of a house and garage
Croft 10 Hens Nest Road, East Whitburn
Received 20 Jan 1997 - DecidedLIVE/0021/FUL/95
Alterations to form a bar, alterations to disco and formation of a fire escape
30-48 Jarvey Street, Bathgate
Received 16 Jan 1995 - DecidedLIVE/0021/FUL/93
Proposed change of use of former bus garage to indoor go-karting area
Site At East Main Street, Broxburn
Received 19 Jan 1993 - DecidedLIVE/0021/FUL/92
Change of use to fast food takeaway and restaurant
1 Station Road, Broxburn
Received 15 Jan 1992 - DecidedLIVE/0004/FUL/92
Extension to house
6 Goodall Crescent, Dechmont
Received 9 Jan 1992 - DecidedLIVE/0019/FUL/96
Erection of a house with garage
Plot 7 Badger Wood, Dechmont
Received 10 Jan 1996 - DecidedLIVE/0019/FUL/95
Erection of a conservatory
25 The Green, Bathgate, EH48 4DA
Received 16 Jan 1995 - DecidedLIVE/0019/FUL/94
Erection of a house
2 Cairnlee, Bathgate
Received 17 Jan 1994 - DecidedLIVE/0019/FUL/93
Erection of a house
Plot 4 Main Street, Blackridge
Received 18 Jan 1993
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