Freedom of Information Request - Buchan Offshore Wind (Onshore & Offshore Scoping Consultations)
Date: 12 December 2025
Our ref: SIR182161/A5623609
Information Request – Buchan Offshore Wind (Onshore & Offshore Scoping Consultations)
Your Request
Any involvement of NatureScot in the scoping processes for the Buchan Offshore Wind Project.
Please provide:
1. Onshore consultation:
• Confirmation of whether NatureScot was consulted by Aberdeenshire Council in relation to ENQ/2024/0943 – Scoping Opinion for Onshore Aspects Including the Landfall, Onshore Cable Route Corridor, Onshore Substation and Onshore Cable Circuits (Buchan Offshore Wind).
• Copies of any correspondence, consultation requests, or responses (emails, letters, meeting notes, or attachments) exchanged between NatureScot and Aberdeenshire Council or the applicant regarding this onshore scoping.
2. Offshore consultation:
• Confirmation of whether NatureScot was consulted by the Scottish Government’s Marine Directorate – Licensing Operations Team (MD-LOT) in relation to SCOP-0031 – Buchan Offshore Wind Farm (Offshore Scoping Opinion, December 2023).
• Copies of any correspondence, consultation requests, or responses exchanged between NatureScot and MD-LOT or the applicant for this offshore scoping.
Our Response
We have discussed your request with our Sustainable Coasts and Seas and Operations Teams, and copies of the information that we hold relating to your information request is attached separately to this response.
We have redacted out personal data from this information, because releasing this information into the public domain would breach the Data Protection Act 2018. We have, applied the exemption under the EIRS, 11(2) (Personal Data) to this personal data.
How We Handled Your Request
We believe you have asked for environmental information as defined in the Environmental Information (Scotland Regulations 2004 (‘the EIRs’), so we are dealing with your request under those regulations. To be able to use the EIRs, we must apply an exemption under section 39(2) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (‘FOISA’). The Scottish Information Commissioner’s guidance recommends that public authorities apply this exemption to environmental information and handle request under the EIRs.
If you would like to find out more about the access to information legislation, there is a guidance booklet available on the Scottish Information Commissioner’s website.
Review and Appeal
I hope this information meets your requirements, but if you are dissatisfied with how we have responded to your information request, please write to us within 40 working days explaining your concerns. You can contact us at Battleby, Redgorton, Perth, PH1 3EW or email us at [email protected]. We will carry out a review of our response and contact you with our findings within 20 working days.
If you are not satisfied following this, you can make an appeal to the Scottish Information Commissioner within 6 months. The Scottish Information Commissioner can be contacted at:
Scottish Information Commissioner
Kinburn Castle
Doubledykes Road
St Andrews
Fife
KY16 9DS
Telephone: 01334 464610
Yours sincerely
FOI Officer,
NatureScot
Document downloads
Due to file size the attached information, referenced above, is available on request by contacting the FOI team at [email protected]. Please reference the case number (starting with SIR).
