West Lothian planning: New plans for Winchburgh sales lot at site of former Star and Garter hotel rejected

Plans for West Lothian site rejected

The future of the former Star and Garter hotel site in Winchburgh has been thrown into confusion, after its owner was refused plans to keep it as a van sales lot – three years after winning permission to build homes.

The village community council and  Winchburgh Developments Ltd objected to new plans to use the  Main Street to sell commercial vehicles. Planners had backed 2021 proposals to build on the site, which sits at the heart of the old village main street now being upgraded to complement the rapidly expanding community.

Its retention as a vehicle  sales lot would have an “adverse impact on the residential and environmental amenity of the area” planning officers told the Development Management Committee (DMC). 

The vacant lot in Winchburgh , once the site of the Star and Garter, is used by a garage business to store cars Planning permission has been granted to develop it for residential use. Copyright Google Images.

Owner Andrew Nisbet proposed new boundary fencing around the site with trees in planters in addition to a new wall and fencing in order to improve the street frontage and aid landscaping and screening of the site. The site would be used to sell vans and commercial vehicles.

In a report to the DMC, planning officers  said: “Whilst the applicant has tried to alleviate the concerns … over the visual appearance of the development, through the provision of additional boundary treatment and landscaping works for the site, it is the principle of the development that is unacceptable.

“The development is incompatible with the surrounding village uses due to the industrial scale and character of the development. The proposed use would not result in a satisfactory visual street scene environment.” 

The community council said in a written objection: “The applicant has an existing application in progress to build a residential development on the same plot- which of these uses is the applicant planning to use? The proposal would be entirely detrimental to the visual amenity of Main Street.”

Speaking for Winchburgh Developments Ltd which is overseeing the  expansion of the village westwards, planning consultant Robin Matthew told the councillors: “The proposal as it stands does not enhance or contribute to the vitality of the village centre. It is not compatible with the surrounding area and affects the amenity of the surrounding area.”

He added: “That is not to  say that WDL objects to storage use within Winchburgh. The point here is that it is not an appropriate location. There are suitable alternative sites available for such use.”

The Star And Garter occupied a prominent site in Winchburgh Main Street until its demolition in the 1990s. Copyright, The Scottish Shale Collection.

Councillor Pauline Clark told the meeting: “I have a lot of sympathy for the applicant, but taking into account new planning regulations I think housing would be a much better development for the site. I don’t think it’s the right place to sell vans from.”

Her SNP colleague Councillor Willie Boyle said: “I have sympathies because it is an established business over a number of years,  but the changes in planning laws and the changes in the village itself will mean demand for the area will become more popular as a high street location. This is the wrong type of business.”

Chairing the meeting, Councillor Stuart Borrowman said: “I agree with Councillor Clark that an alternative development would enhance the village.”  

The Star and Garter was demolished in the 1990s and the site has been used for vehicle storage since 2015. The firm was told to clear the site of vehicles after a planning application failed in 2019. A subsequent appeal to the Scottish Government’s Department of Planning and Environmental Appeals on that application also failed.

In November 2021 Mr Nisbet won planning permission to build up to four flats on the site.