Care firm wins permission for new residential home in West Lothian

Plans to convert a bungalow into a care home for teenagers have won planning consent despite neighbours’ fears.

The bungalow in Armadale’s South Street will be converted to form residential care for up to four youngsters from troubled backgrounds.

Neighbours had raised concerns about a property in Denny run by the same organisation FTS Care which was criticised in a report from the Care Inspectorate.

Addressing West Lothian’s Development Management committee, and an objector, the director of FTS Care, Derek Scott, moved to assure children in his group’s care were “not criminal”, but vulnerable teens who needed stability and support.

FTS Care applied for a change of use to convert the bungalow at South Street, Armadale, for residential care use.

In a report to the DMC planners recomm