Three listed buildings on the site of West Lothian’s Bangour Hospital will be converted into flats.
The historic buildings have been preserved on the site of the former hospital and will be integrated into the new development of almost 1,000 homes on the site.
West Lothian Council’s Development Management Committee granted detailed permission to plans for the renovation and conversion of the three buildings – known as Villas 18, 19 and 20 – submitted by Ambassador Developments (Bangour) Limited on the western side of the site near the village of Dechmont.
The wider redevelopment of the hospital site for housing was granted permission in principle in June last year.
The applications propose 23 flats for sale – two one bedroom flats and 21 two bedroom flats in the two and three storied sandstone buildings.
Significant works are proposed to enable the conversion of the three listed buildings, including removal and replacement of the roofs, doors and windows of each building.
Single storey, ground floor extensions will be demolished on each building and the non-original two storey extensions, including metal clad extensions at Villa 18 and 19 and lift shaft extension to Villa 20, will be removed.
“Materials are proposed to be as close a match as possible to the existing stonework, where this needs to be made good, and to existing roof finishes.”
A report by planning officers said: “The setting of the three villas will change substantially due to the new housing that will be built to the north and south. This change to the setting of these buildings has been considered and accepted with the grant of the first detailed application on the site.
“The three villas will retain their elevated position and will remain a dominant feature within this part of the site.”
These buildings were originally part of the first detailed application at the site but were taken out of the wider application as there was a need for additional bat surveys on the villas. buildings.
The report added: “The applicant has submitted bat activity survey reports for each listed building. The surveys were carried out between May and June 2023 and confirm the presence of bat roosts.
“A bat protection plan has been appended to the surveys for each of the buildings that sets out proposed mitigation for removal of the roosts (which is subject to a separate licence from Nature Scot).
“The initial mitigation is proposed to take the form of 18 woodcrete multiseason bat boxes installed on, in and around a mature woodland that stands to the east within 140m of the roosts. Long term mitigation is proposed to include the provision of at least six bat roost woodcrete boxes installed externally.”
Planning officers confirmed that the proposed number of EV points would be to current council standards of one for every six properties but extra ducting infrastructure would allow for the further development of an EV network.
Councillors agreed with planning officers’ recommendation to approve consent
Cllr Pauline Clark, SNP, welcomed the retention and refurbishment of the buildings but added: “I think it would be good if we could increase the number of charging points as we are going to see more electric vehicles coming into use.”
by Stuart Somerville Local Democracy Reporter.
The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) is a public service news agency. It is funded by the BBC, provided by the local news sector (in Edinburgh that is Reach plc (the publisher behind Edinburgh Live and The Daily Record) and used by many qualifying partners. Local Democracy Reporters cover news about top-tier local authorities and other public service organisations.
