Freedom of Information Request - Pre-Application Engagement (Thurso / Pennyland / Banniskirk)
Date: 19 December 2025
Our ref: SIR182542/A5639718
Information Request – Pre-Application Engagement (Thurso / Pennyland / Banniskirk)
Your Request
1. Any information, correspondence, records or internal notes held by NatureScot relating to early engagement, pre-application discussions, informal consultation or scoping for proposed temporary workers’ accommodation in the Thurso / Pennyland Estate/ Pennyland Farm / Burnside / Rockwell / Banniskirk area.
2. If no engagement or correspondence has taken place, please confirm this.
This request covers the period January 2023 to present.
Our Response
NatureScot was consulted as part of Highland Council’s Major Pre-Application consultation process and a copy of our advice to Highland Council is enclosed.
Whilst NatureScot welcomes consultations, including pre-application consultations, in relation to development proposals, we only provide advice on those consultations, that fall within a set of specific criteria. The criteria for consulting NatureScot is set out on our website, in our ‘How-and-when-consult-NatureScot-checklist’ webpage.
For this proposal, we provided a “no comment response” as it did not meet the any of the criteria for consulting us. Beyond this consultation from Highland Council, there has been no other correspondence or discussion regarding this proposal.
We have redacted out personal data from the attached information, as releasing personal data in response to an information request would breach the Data Protection Act 2018. We have applied, under the EIRS, the exemption 11(2) (Personal Data) to this redacted 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
