Freedom of Information Request - planting proposals
Date: 19 September 2024
Our ref: SIR176865/A4734892
Information Request – Stobo planting proposals
Thank you for your information request, which we received on 27 August. We have considered your request under the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004 (‘the EIRs’).
Your Request
A FOI response (A4461006) was sent a little while ago and I have attached this for quick reference. On pdf p.17 there is a memo dated 08.02.2023, followed by two plans (pdf pp.2-21) and another memo dated 17.10.2023.
Pdf p. 24 gives more information and I would be grateful if you could provide:
Planting plan 2023 version
Planting plan 2022 version
A3890482 - original planting proposal (Dec 2022)
A4204642 - proposed planting design
A4169971
Another other planting plans in relation to this application. The planting plans are supposed to show percentages of tree planting, the number of hectares planted and the version number, eg v.8, v.10 etc.
As I think this information should have been provided as part of the original FOI I would be grateful for a quicker response. It is important to know what planting plans NatureScot were referring to.
Our Response
The 2022 proposed planting and the 2023 proposed design, was sent to NatureScot by the agents, is provided at pages 1 and 2 of the information being released to you with this response. These would be documents A3890482 and A4204642 respectively.
NatureScot staff produced the comparison map shown on pages 20 & 21 of the original response to assist staff to quantify and assess how the two plans had changed (for clarity page 21 of the original pdf was the first draft of this map and page 20 was the actual comparison map (A4215722)), a copy of this information is, once again, provided with this response.
Staff also produced a plan to help visualise the distribution of the forestry proposals in the NSA and this is provided at page 5 of the information being released and is A4169971.
We have redacted out two names from the information being released and are exempting this information under EIRs 11(2) (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 accessibility issues 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).