Tuesday May 12th 2026
Councillors said the rural nature of Westwood Road and its mature hedgerow would be lost if a new access road was given approval
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Stuart Sommerville
The owners of a West Lothian industrial site have appealed to the Scottish Government after access plans were rejected by councillors.
They say that planners’ rejection of a second road onto the Five Sisters Industrial Park stalls development potential.
The Development Management Committee (DMC) knocked back proposals in March for a new access road from the northern side of the site which sits in the shadow of the Five Sisters bing at West Calder.
They agreed with planning officers that the access point off the narrow Westwood Road would see destruction of mature hedgerow and bring heavy traffic onto a narrow rural road.
Now JJ Land Purchases, which owns the estate, has appealed to Scottish Ministers to overturn the local decision.
Agents for the company have lodged papers with the Division of Planning and Environment Appeals (DPEA) arguing ecology and diversity concerns “could be addressed and enhanced” by new planting.
In a report to the DPEA Pegasus Consultancy said: “the introduction of a new secondary access to serve… the site will assist with delivery of a long-standing allocation based on market feedback which has raised concerns with the existing single point of access into Five Sisters Business Park and lack of emergency access provision.”
“The consultancy added: “The proposal will allow for design flexibility for this site of 15 acres and off-set perceived risk to allow for investment in wider site infrastructure and preparation works.”
The appeal stressed that planning officers accepted proposals to enhance the environment through replanting adding: “ecology and biodiversity requirements can be addressed through replacement planting of hedgerow and biodiversity enhancements for protected and local species – as had been agreed with the Case Officer during application process.”
The application site is part of an allocated employment site that lies within the employment boundary for the existing Five Sisters Business Park. The proposal involved the creation of a new access point at the eastern boundary of the allocated site, from a quiet local road that runs south from the B7015.
This road is bordered on both sides by a well-established, mature hedgerow and is primarily used to access two business premises and agricultural land. The land immediately to the west of the proposed access point is currently in active agricultural use.
Councillors had voiced concerns about the increase in heavy traffic along Westwood than a new access road would bring. The committee chair Councillor Harry Cartmill had questioned why the planned access road had been positioned away from a wider and more obvious access point on the road.
Papers presented to the DMC this week advised that the appeal will go ahead and the council will lodge its own response when a Reporter is appointed to decide the appeal.
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