Wednesday August 19th 2026
Winchburgh Community Centre has been saved with a community benefit lease awarded to Linlithgow's Low Port Centre charity
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Stuart Sommerville
A Linlithgow based charity will take on the lease to manage Winchburgh’s Community Centre.
West Lothian Council’s Executive has agreed a two year lease deal with the Low Port Centre.
Local councillor Janet Campbell, welcomed the decision as a “positive move” for Winchburgh.
The Low Port centre itself was successfully transferred to community ownership four years ago with its lease to St John’s Church in the town.
Having now established itself as a successful community space the team at Low Port hope to replicate that at Winchburgh.
In a report to the Executive Scott Hughes the Property Services Manager said: “The proposals put forward by Low Port Centre SCIO (LPC SCIO) present an opportunity for the implementation of an alternative, self-funding, community-led operating model at Winchburgh Community Centre, which is in keeping with the council’s aspirations under the wider community centre review exercise. Officers are therefore supportive of LPC SCIO’s proposals.”
The report added: “The former management committee are supportive of the proposed lease and have continued to constructively engage with LPC SCIO to share their knowledge of the building.
“LPC SCIO have also engaged with Winchburgh Community Development Trust (WCDT) and have developed a strong working relationship with them. WCDT are similarly supportive of the proposal and LPC SCIO have sought to align their strategic aims with the local community further by appointing a member of WCDT to sit on the board of LPC SCIO.”
Almost 300 people responded to a community survey on the plans.
Low Port has secured a community benefit lease on the Winchburgh centre at £18,000 a year for two years. The community benefit clause enables the annual rent to be reduced or waived in full in lieu of the non-financial benefits delivered as a result of the tenant’s use of the property.
Councillor Campbell, whose SNP opposition group opposed the transfer of community centres last year, told the meeting: “Whilst I believe the transfer of the community centres by the administration was botched it certainly wasn’t by Property Services staff.
“Having spoken to staff from Low Port and having engaged with the community I know they feel this is a positive move for Winchburgh and I’m happy to support this.”
Linlithgow councillor, Lib Dem Sally Pattle said: “Congratulations this is fantastic. I know the team at Low Port very well, we use the centre a lot. I just want to say thanks very much to Scott and his team for enabling this to move quickly. I just think its very positive and huge benefit for West Lothian.”
The Low Port Centre SCIO was set up by St John’s Church Linlithgow to manage the Low Port Centre and this has resulted in the property being successfully repurposed as a community hub with residential accommodation for visitors.
Having successfully secured external funding to invest in the property and having demonstrated an ability to revitalise and operate this significant community facility, legally binding missives for the sale of the Low Port Centre to LPC SCIO have now concluded and that sale is due to complete this month.
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