Former council offices, part of one of West Lothian’s bings and even a bus turning circle are to be sold off by the council in a 'spring clean' of its property portfolio.
The council’s Executive agreed to a range of disposals at its March meeting including two former council office buildings in Bathgate and Livingston.
All have been declared surplus to requirements, as they are properties no longer required for services or those which have been replaced by new buildings.
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In Bathgate St David House in South Bridge Street, former council offices, and a retail unit at 22 South Bridge Street which is part of the same building will go on the market.
In Livingston the former council offices in Arrocher and Torridon House, on Almondvale Boulevard will be put on the market once council services have relocated.
In both Bathgate and Livingston these buildings will be marketed for either sale or lease within the boundaries of the current Local Development Plan. That governs what can operate from the premises.
Property services officers told the meeting of the Executive that any community interest as part of a Community Asset Transfer would be recognised and considered as part of the process.
Another former council building, the old Hopefield Nursery in Blackburn, is also up for disposal.
As with the office buildings this building is now surplus to council needs following the completion of the new nursery annexe at Blackburn Primary. Again there are options for Community Asset Transfer alongside lease or sale.
On Addiewell bing a strip of land on Addiewell Bing to the west of the village primary schools. The land was planted with trees as part of a Scottish Development Agency funded rehabilitation scheme in the 1980s and is surrounded on three sides by land belonging to Mr A. MacFarlane at, Addiewell Farm.
In a report to Executive officers recommended: “Offer land to previous owner Mr MacFarlane, Addiewell Farm, under provisions of Crichel Down rules. These rules are a non-statutory government policy which requires certain bodies to offer to sell back surplus land to the former owner (or their successors) once the land has become surplus to requirements - if the land was originally acquired by, or under threat of, compulsion.”
A former bus turning area on the B9080, Winchburgh is no longer needed because of changes to the road network as the village grows with new housing development the site is in the ownership of the council but surrounded by land owned by Winchburgh Developments Ltd and will be offered to the company.
Any income raised through the sale of buildings is used to fund future capital investment programmes across West Lothian, enabling the council to invest in vital public infrastructure assets such as schools, care homes, roads, country parks and public open spaces.
Councillor Lawrence Fitzpatrick, council leader said: “It’s important to effectively manage assets to support the delivery of future services.
“Officers have determined that some properties are no longer required and it’s right that they are either sold or offered to other parties.
“When surplus properties are sold, the money generated via the sale goes towards funding new assets. Without the income generated through the sale of these properties, the less we would have to invest in new facilities.”
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