Planning Appeals - extant requests

Summary

The requester asked for statistics on extant planning appeals and determined appeals without site visits, but the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture refused to provide the data directly.

Key Facts

• The request was received on 1 June 2020 and responded to on 16 June 2020.
• The authority cited Section 20 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015 as the reason for not providing the information.
• The requested data was deemed already reasonably accessible via the government website.
• The information had previously been disclosed by the Cabinet Office in response to the same request.
• The case reference number is 1311710.

Data Disclosed

• 24 May 2020
• 01 Jan 2019
• 1 June 2020
• 16 June 2020
• 1311710

Exemptions Cited

• Section 20 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015 (Information already reasonably accessible)

Original Request

Please supply figures for the number of extant planning appeal requests as at 24 May 2020 1 for appeals based on appeal hearing 2 for appeals based on written consideration Please also supply figures for the number of planning appeals determined since 01 Jan 2019 where the Inspector did not visit the Island / appeal site.

Data Tables (1)

Full Response Text

Freedom of Information Co-ordinator Corporate Services Directorate Thie Slieau Whallian, Foxdale Road, St John’s, Isle of Man, IM4 3AS Tel no (01624) 685854 Fax no (01624 685851 Email: defa@gov.im www.gov.im

Our ref: 1311710 16th June 2020

Dear ###

We write further to your request which was received on 1st June 2020 and which states:

"Please supply figures for the number of extant planning appeal requests as at 24 May 2020 1 for appeals based on appeal hearing 2 for appeals based on written consideration Please also supply figures for the number of planning appeals determined since 01 Jan 2019 where the Inspector did not visit the Island / appeal site."

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, under section 20 of the Act, we are not required to provide information in response to a request if it is already reasonably accessible to you, whether free of charge or on payment of a fee. All of the information that you have requested is available from https://services.gov.im/freedom-of-information/search and was disclosed via the Cabinet Office, further to your submission of the same request to them.

Please quote the reference number 1311710 in any future communications.

Your right to request a review

If you are unhappy with this response to your freedom of information request, you may ask us to carry out an internal review of the response, by completing a complaint form and submitting it electronically or by delivery/post.

An electronic version of our complaint form can be found by going to our website at https://services.gov.im/freedom-of-information/Review . If you would like a paper version of our complaint form to be sent to you by post, please contact me and I will be happy to arrange for this. Your review request should explain why you are

dissatisfied with this response, and should be made as soon as practicable. We will respond as soon as the review has been concluded.

If you are not satisfied with the result of the review, you then have the right to appeal to the Information Commissioner for a decision on; 1. Whether we have responded to your request for information in accordance with Part 2 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015; or 2. Whether we are justified in refusing to give you the information requested.
In response to an application for review, the Information Commissioner may, at any time, attempt to resolve a matter by negotiation, conciliation, mediation or another form of alternative dispute resolution and will have regard to any outcome of this in making any subsequent decision. More detailed information on your right to a review can be found on the Information Commissioner’s website at www.inforights.im. Should you have any queries concerning this letter, please do not hesitate to contact me. Further information about freedom of information requests can be found at www.gov.im/foi.

I will now close your request as of this date.

Yours sincerely