| West Lothian Civic Centre | |
|---|---|
 The building in 2009 | |
| Location | Howden South Road, Livingston |
| Coordinates | 55°53′14″N3°30′57″W / 55.8871°N 3.5158°W |
| Built | 2009 |
| Architect | BDP |
| Architectural style(s) | Modern style |
  Shown in West Lothian | |
West Lothian Civic Centre is a municipal building on Howden South Road in Livingston, West Lothian in Scotland. The building serves as the offices and meeting place of West Lothian Council as well as the venue for hearings of Livingston Sheriff Court.
Until the early 21st century, West Lothian Council was based at County Buildings in Linlithgow, which had been built as the headquarters for the old West Lothian County Council in 1935. [1] However, the council also owned Lindsay House on South Bridge Street, Bathgate, which had been built as the Burgh Chambers for the old Bathgate Town Council in 1966, [2] and West Lothian House on Almondvale Boulevard in Livingston, which had been built as the headquarters of the Livingston Development Corporation in 1981. [3] The council wanted to consolidate its activities at one location: [4] the site it selected was just north of Livingston town centre on the bank of the River Almond. [5]
The building was designed by BDP in the Modern style, built by Laing O'Rourke with a steel frame and limestone cladding at a cost of £53 million, and was completed in July 2009. [6] [7] [8] It was officially opened by First Minister, Alex Salmond, on 25 November 2009. [9] [10]
The design involved an asymmetrical main frontage facing west onto Hochsauerland Brae. The layout involved three main sections: a clearly visible circular council chamber, and offices for council officers and their staff, to the south, a divisional headquarters for Police Scotland to the centre, and six courtrooms for Livingston Sheriff Court [11] as well as offices for the procurator fiscal and the Scottish Children's Reporter Administration to the north. [12]
Linlithgow Sheriff Court, which the complex also replaced, closed in August 2009. [13] Lindsay House and West Lothian House were both demolished shortly after the new Civic Centre opened. [14] [15]
Lothian is a region of the Scottish Lowlands, lying between the southern shore of the Firth of Forth and the Lammermuir Hills and the Moorfoot Hills. The principal settlement is the Scottish capital, Edinburgh, while other significant towns include Livingston, Linlithgow, Bathgate, Queensferry, Dalkeith, Bonnyrigg, Penicuik, Musselburgh, Prestonpans, Tranent, North Berwick, Dunbar, Whitburn and Haddington.
West Lothian is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, and was one of its historic counties. The county was called Linlithgowshire until 1925. The historic county was bounded geographically by the Avon to the west and the Almond to the east. The modern council area occupies a larger area than the historic county. It was reshaped following local government reforms in 1975: some areas in the west were transferred to Falkirk; some areas in the east were transferred to Edinburgh; and some areas that had formerly been part of Midlothian were added to West Lothian.
Livingston is the largest town in West Lothian, Scotland. Designated in 1962, it is the fourth post-war new town to be built in Scotland. Taking its name from a village of the same name incorporated into the new town, it was originally developed in the then-counties of Midlothian and West Lothian along the banks of the River Almond. It is situated approximately fifteen miles (25 km) west of Edinburgh and thirty miles (50 km) east of Glasgow, and is close to the towns of Broxburn to the north-east and Bathgate to the north-west.
Broxburn is a town in West Lothian, Scotland. It is 12 miles (19 km) from the West End of Edinburgh, 5 miles (8.0 km) from Edinburgh Airport and 5 miles (8.0 km) to the north of Livingston. Originally a village known as Easter Strathbock in the medieval period, by 1600, the village had become known as Broxburn. The area developed rapidly during the Victorian era as a result of industrialisation related to shale oil extraction. While much of the industry in the area is now diminished, the town has continued to grow following new residential development, resulting in Broxburn forming a conurbation with neighbouring Uphall. It lies just to the south of Winchburgh.
Bathgate is a town in West Lothian, Scotland, 5 miles (8 km) west of Livingston and adjacent to the M8 motorway. Nearby towns are Linlithgow, Livingston, and West Calder. A number of villages fall under the umbrella of Bathgate, including Blackburn, Whitburn, Stoneyburn, Armadale,Torphichen and Fauldhouse.
Livingston is a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, to which it returns one Member of Parliament (MP). Elections are held using the first-past-the-post voting system.
A county hall or shire hall is a common name given to a building that houses the seat of local government for a county.
Linlithgow was a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1983 to 2005. It elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of elections.
Armadale is a town within the county of West Lothian in the Central Belt of Scotland. It lies to the west of Bathgate and to the east of Blackridge. Armadale, formerly known as Barbauchlaw, is an ex-mining town which was also known for its brick manufacturing. It is named after Armadale in Sutherland, this estate being owned by Sir William Honeyman who later acquired the land of Barbauchlaw. Primarily a residential community, the town has a number of different public places, a central Mains Street and a series of parks, green spaces and nature reserves, many of which lie atop former mines and industrial areas.
Mid Calder is a village in West Lothian, Scotland. It is located on a steep hill overlooking the River Almond and Calder Wood, around 15 miles (24 km) west of Edinburgh. The settlement has been on a major crossroads since its origin some time in the 11th century.
Linlithgow is a town in West Lothian, Scotland. It was historically West Lothian's county town, reflected in the county's historical name of Linlithgowshire. An ancient town, it lies in the Central Belt on a historic route between Edinburgh and Falkirk beside Linlithgow Loch. The town is situated approximately 20 miles (32 km) west of Edinburgh.
West Lothian Council is the local authority for West Lothian, one of the 32 council areas of Scotland.
Torphichen is a historic small village located north of Bathgate in West Lothian, Scotland. The village is approximately 18 miles (29 km) west of Edinburgh, 7 miles (11 km) south-east of Falkirk and 4 miles (6.4 km) south-west of Linlithgow. The village had a population of 570 in the and a population of 710 in 2016. Torphichen's placename may be Gaelic in origin, e.g., "Tóir Féichín", Tor Fithichean, or partly from Brythonic "tre fychan" or small hill.
Linlithgow Academy is a secondary school in Linlithgow, West Lothian, Scotland. The original academy was built in 1900 to a design by James Graham Fairley and replaced an earlier kirk institution, known as "Sang Schule".
Howden is an area of the new town of Livingston, the largest town in West Lothian, Scotland. Howden is bordered by Craigshill, Ladywell, Almondvale and Kirkton.
Linlithgow Burgh Halls is a municipal structure at The Cross, Linlithgow, Scotland. The complex includes the Town House, the former headquarters of Linlithgow Burgh Council, which is a Category A listed building. and the Old County Hall, the former headquarters of West Lothian County Council, which is a Category B listed building.
The County Buildings are in the High Street, Linlithgow, Scotland. The complex, which was the headquarters of West Lothian County Council, is a Category B listed building.
Bathgate and Linlithgow is a constituency of the House of Commons in the UK Parliament. Further to the completion of the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, it was first contested at the 2024 general election.
Linlithgow Sheriff Court is a former judicial building on the High Street in Linlithgow in Scotland. The building, which has been converted for residential use, is a Category B listed building.