Ideally located half way between Glasgow and Edinburgh, Whitburn is set to dramatically expand with what will be one of Scotland's most aspiring and sustainable new developments, the Heartlands project.
It will not be another housing scheme with acres of similar looking buildings standing side by side like those popping up all over the country. What is envisaged is the creation of a new community that will provide a new lifestyle integrated with the existing town. 2000 new homes will be built in a broad variety of styles and sizes from affordable housing for the first time buyers all the way through the housing spectrum up to luxury villas overlooking the golf courses. A neighbourhood centre including an all encompassing medical and health centre, a leisure centre and community service facilities will be created to service not only the new communities but also Whitburn in general.
A state of the art bespoke business park creating 4000 new jobs will be built towards the north of the town alongside the M8 motorway. To service the expanding town a new junction is being created as well as transport interchange with park and ride facilities.
The Donald Ross Memorial Golf resort capable of hosting international televised golf tournaments is currently under construction to the southwest of the town. This means two championship golf courses, a 5 star, 150 bedroom luxury golf lodge hotel with conference facilities all within easy reach of Glasgow & Edinburgh and beyond. Just imagine - Tiger Woods in Whitburn.
All through the Heartlands development, extensive landscaping, walkways, cycle paths and green open spaces will create a living, working and playing environment second to none.
Although this development is big, it will not stand alone but will marry in with the existing town. Whitburn and the surrounding communities will benefit from what is being created. New jobs, new housing, new opportunities...a new vision.
The Heartlands section of the web-site aims to explain in more detail the individual facets of the Heartlands project i.e. the housing (and associated infrastructure), the business park and motorway junction, the leisure opportunities and the transport issues. There may be times, however, when information is limited. A project this size is surrounded by legal, political, commercial, social, environmental issues. That means that for example, while contracts are being negotiated certain key areas of the project, for commercial reasons, cannot be placed within the public domain. However, when information does become available it will be put on the web site as soon as possible.
In years to come people from all around the country will see the Whitburn crest in the media and associate it with prosperity & sustainability. The Heartlands development will be at the forefront of the environmental agenda with, for example, people friendly living areas, green space, breathing space between the houses, new energy efficient buildings leading the way within the business park and the golf courses being built on recycled coal waste. What has been said just touches upon what the future has in store for the proud town of Whitburn. With Heartlands, it is the dawn of a new era and Whitburn will truly become the heart of the land.
