A major project to replace Whitrigg House, a residential house for children, has been approved.
Whitrigg House is located in East Whitburn and no longer meets Care Inspectorate standards.
Original plans to build a new facility near Whitrigg are now above the available budget available. However, improvements are also required at Torcroft House in Whitburn and Letham House in Craigshill to ensure they remain compliant going forward.
Under proposals developed by West Lothian Council, the existing residential house, Torcroft House in Whitburn will be modernised and improved to provide six en-suite bedrooms, a welfare suite (providing private space for visiting families) and ancillary (non-residential) staff facilities. In addition, Letham House in Craigshill, Livingston would be repurposed to provide four en-suite bedrooms, a welfare suite and continuing care accommodation along with (non-residential) staff facilities.
Anne McMillan, Executive councillor for Social Work & Health said: "The council is committed to delivering new, £1.35million, improved facilities that will meet the needs of our children and young people going forward and increase our capacity to provide care and support locally.
"Funding is becoming more scarce and in the absence of sufficient budget to deliver a new purpose-built facility on the approved site at Raeburn Crescent in Whitburn, officers have considered a range of alternative options and have concluded that the modification and redevelopment of existing facilities at Torcroft House and Letham House offers a strong alternative that would meet existing and future service needs within the parameters of the available capital budget."
Whitrigg House would not be used as a registered residential care facility and would either be repurposed for an alternative operational use or formally declared surplus and disposed of in accordance with the council's approved Surplus Property Procedure.
