The territory was previously pastoral and included the Whitlawburn farm, which took its name from the Whitlaw Burn stream running down from the Cathkin Braes at the western side of the district.

However, in 2016 a planning application by Persimmon for 240 new houses in a vacant field (accessed via the road passing the golf club) was approved for construction,[22] despite some concerns regarding possible flooding and school provision.

[23][24] With the development nearing completion in late 2019, residents were surprised to find that their streets were still within the boundaries of the East Kilbride constituency for the 2019 United Kingdom general election, as had been the case before its construction when the land was a field and therefore of little consequence in that context.

Administratively, Whitlawburn lies within the Cambuslang West ward of the South Lanarkshire Council area which is also the extent of the neighbourhood community policing zone.

A standalone pre-school facility, Springlaw ELC (intentionally named after both communities as a gesture of unity) was built on a piece of vacant land in Springhall, opening in 2021.