Update on the future Livingston Skate Park

This was one of many plans presented at a meeting of the council's Livingston South Local Area Committee, with the overall objective of ensuring the long-term protection and maintenance of the skate park in Livingston town centre.

Livingston Skate Park was built in 1981. It was one of the first of its kind in the UK and

remains one of the largest.

The committee heard how council officers had previously applied to Historic Environment Scotland in June 2022 for historical status to be granted to the skate park. Officers will be working with Historic Environment Scotland in order to progress the status of the application towards its conclusion. The report detailed the potential positives historical status would give the skate park such as the potential to increase opportunities to apply for additional funding to help assist with ongoing maintenance of the site. This progression of this work is likely to include a consultation event in summer 2023.

The council's NETs, Land and Countryside service also intends to appoint a specialist skateboard contractor in 2023 to inspect the site and provide assessment on future maintenance works to prolong the life expectancy of the skate park. Prior to this taking place, the council will continue to inspect the skate park every ten days and address outstanding high-risk safety issues as and when they arise.

Officers working in community regeneration will also be working with skate park user groups to identify and explore potential applications for additional funding packages which would go to further enhancing the site.

West Lothian Council NETs, Land and Countryside Manager, Andy Johnston said: "The report presented provides a summary of a number of pieces of work that are designed to potentially support the preservation of Livingston Skate Park moving forward."