Bid to turn office block into hotel in Scottish town rejected

Mumtaz Hussain applied for planning permission to convert the disused building he owns into a short-term hotel with 22 bedrooms.

Councillors on West Lothian’s Development Management Committee agreed with planning officer Gillian Cyphus who told the meeting “This is simply not the right place for a hotel”.

Hussain earlier this year won an appeal  to the Scottish Government  to convert the former Farmfoods store in central Bathgate into a short-term let hotel despite objections from local councillors.

Hussain won an appeal to the Scottish Government to convert the former Farmfoods store in central Bathgate into a short-term let hotel despite objections from local councillors (Image: Newsquest)

The new plan, for 1 Muir Place in the middle of Houston Industrial Estate in northern Livingston, had received seven objections from villagers in nearby Pumpherston, who suggested the building would be used as a short term hotel for  homeless, or migrants.

However there were five letters of support from local businesses and a petition of around 100 names backing the plan.

Hussain said the hotel would cater for contractors working in the area for short periods. He said that concerns about parking were not an issue as he owned 120 spaces around the building.

READ MORE: Israeli attacks in Lebanon kill at least 13 people and injure more

He told the committee: “The building has been empty since 2024 it has been actively marketed  and there has been no takers; there is no demand for office space due to changes in working practice. Do we leave the building empty and do we allow it to bring something that it is really needed?”  

Writing in support of the application, Mr Ammar Yasir said: “As a business currently operating within the estate, I am fully aware of the challenges faced by companies who regularly bring contractors, engineers and visiting staff to Livingston for short-term work.

"At present, there is a clear lack of convenient overnight accommodation within the estate itself, which often results in inefficient travel arrangements and additional costs for local businesses.”

READ MORE: Two people self-isolating in UK after leaving hantavirus cruise ship

Planners said: “The site lies within an area of employment land suitable for a variety of commercial and industrial uses, and the conversion of the building to hotel use would remove the availability of the unit for suitable employment use 

They added: “It has not been satisfactorily demonstrated that there is no reasonable or realistic demand for the retention of the existing premises. In addition, commercial uses such as a hotel should be directed to town centres, where they can be adequately served by sustainable transport and where customers can access a variety of services and goods.”

There were also concerns raised about heavy traffic on the estate, especially HGVs, something which was noted by councillors who had attended a site visit earlier this week.

There were also concerns raised about HGVs on the site (Image: NQ)

Councillor Pauline Clark said “I was just thinking about those lorries flying past us yesterday.  I know that Roads didn’t have a problem  with  the application, but I really do. I think it is an accident waiting to happen.  

“If the hotel were full and all the car parking spaces were taken up it could be really quite chaotic.  I don’t think it’s the place for this. The idea is good  but I just think the location is wrong.

"Thinking about the health and safety of the people who might be using it, I don’t think I can support it.”

READ MORE: 16 people ill after visiting farm in Edinburgh

Fellow SNP councillor Willie Boyle  said conversion  to a hotel would still mean the  site was used as employment  land  and added: “there are parking issues anywhere.”

He said: “I’m struggling to find reasons to reject this.

Councillor Tom Conn said that the industrial estate was vibrant and questioned the need to convert the office block.

He cited changes to industrial and business areas such as the Gyle in Edinburgh which had seen former office blacks razed and replaced.

“I don’t see a change in the estate in terms  that it needs to transition to something else.”  

Chair of the DMC  Councillor Harry Cartmill said he had “some sympathy” with the hotel plan but echoed  the concerns of fellow councillors  around traffic and backed  the planners objections and recommended refusal. 

The Committee backed this motion

An alternative amendment from Councillor Boyle failed to attract a seconder.