Livingston expansion to deliver an 'ecologically-focussed' wetland village
March 7 2025
A new village is set to rise on the western flank of Livingston in the latest evolution of proposals to build hundreds of new homes in the West Lothian town.
Now in the hands of Persimmon Homes a new application for planning in principle has been made for Gavieside Village, outlining delivery of an 'ecologically-focussed' neighbourhood of 2,800 homes a primary school and primary school and community enterprise facilities.
Neil Martin of Persimmon Scotland East said: "This project has already been through several evolutions but to date the opportunity remains untaken. Persimmon Homes’ approach therefore was to ensure that a positive, deliverable development proposal was prepared for this site that absorbs all the past lessons and the challenges posed by a changing policy context."
Plugging into further development at West Calder Station the village will work with nature at the farmland site, with Persimmon headhunting Collective Architecture to ensure best practice in integrating communities with the landscape and waterways - notably the River Almond, West Calder Burn and Harwood Water, through pools, reedbeds and extended wetlands.
Jude Barber, director and architect at Collective Architecture added: "The vision and ambition for the site connects people, ecology and place to create holistic and biodiverse community living in West Lothian. The village centre sits at the heart of this with green corridors and opportunities for rural activities and enterprise evolving over time."
Building on established assets such as the Shale Trail, a walking and cycling route linking West Calder to Winchburgh, the village will encompass former mine workings and contaminated land which constrains development.
Tina Muldowney, director of landscape architecture at LUC, commented: "Woven through the masterplan is a green and blue network to support biodiversity, climate resilience, active travel and active lifestyles. A place for people to live, work, play and connect with nature- closely anchored in the rural agricultural landscape."
In practice, this will see main roads arranged such that cars and junctions bypass the neighbourhood centre with the emphasis instead placed on active travel routes to nearby green space.
A woodland enterprise centre will help foster a sense of community
Persimmon sought out Collective Architecture to ensure compliance with National Planning Framework 4, a spatial strategy set down by the Scottish Government
The goal is to establish a new neighbourhood that retains its rural character
Vehicles will be routed away from a pedestrian-friendly village centre
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