Scottish Rural Communities Policy Review: West Lothian case study
Six place-based case studies have been produced as part of Stage 3 of the Scottish Rural Communities Policy Review. This is the West Lothian case study. The others are East Borders, East Moray, Lochalsh and South Skye, Harris and Scalpay, and Orkney.
About West Lothian
West Lothian is located between the City of Edinburgh, Scottish Borders, South Lanarkshire, North Lanarkshire and Falkirk. It lies along the shores of the Firth of Forth and has a history of intensive industry including coal, iron, and shale mining that existed throughout the 19th and 20th centuries.
While mostly rural, West Lothian is close to urban centres and contains several medium to large towns. Major employers include healthcare, construction, retail, manufacturing, and distilling. It also has several large wind farms, which provide community benefit funding to several development trusts and organisations in the area.
West Lothian was chosen as a case study due to the rapid increase in population and housing in its rural areas, and its relative proximity to major cities, providing a contrast to remote-rural and island settings.
Contact
Email: socialresearch@gov.scot