I strongly object to the proposed site for the relocation of West Calder High School for the following reasons:

The site includes community recreational facilities including an all-weather sports pitch, a full size grass football pitch (which wasreprovided at considerable cost including new drainage, reseeding, etc only 2 or 3 years ago), bmx bike track, pathways,etc. These facilities are well-used by my children and other local children, youth football teams and families. Taking these facilities away from the local community would surely be detrimental to the health and social wellbeing of all who use them.

The site includes established woodlands and thousands of new trees planted over the past months and years. I cannot believe that the Council is unable to find a more suitable site that would not involve the uprooting or taking down of literally thousands of trees, not to mention the effect on wildlife for whom these areas are their habitat. In this day and age with so much focus on sustainability and environmental issues I would imagine the local and national press would be very interested in a Council proposing to destroy suchlarge quantities of woodland. An area of the proposed site won a 2012 Scotland Finest Wood Award, winning the Tim Stead Trophy - Central Scotland Forest Trust (Polbeth and Parkhead Woodlands, West Lothian)-www.sfwa.co.uk/winners.

The site includes a Walking Trail (No. 13 West Calder Walking Trail -www.mapmywalk.com). The entire area of the proposed site is well-used by dog walkers and others enjoying the outdoors. It would seem reckless and irresponsible to deny the local community the option of outdoor exercise. Not to mention that a well-used path from West Calder to Polbeth runs through the middle of the site - hasconsideration been given as to how this path can still be provided to members of the local community who use it on a daily basis.