· FOI/EIR · partially withheld
Correspondence on golf course proposal Coul Links Sutherland: EIR release
Information requested
You asked for all information in our possession showing or tending the entire communications between the Department of Food, Rural Affairs and Agriculture (DEFRA) and the Scottish Government and/or Scottish Natural Heritage showing or tending to show the extent to which DEFRA has communicated any request, information or other material to or from the Ramsar Secretariat, Rue Mauverney 28 CH-1196, Gland, Switzerland supplied or sought for the purpose of investigating, considering and reporting upon a proposal for a golf course development at Coul Links, Embo, Sutherland, presently with a Environmental Statement before The Highland Council as an application for Planning Permission, and bearing the reference 17/04601/FUL.
Response
I enclose a copy of the information you requested.
An exception under regulation 11(2) of the EIRs (personal information) applies to some of the information requested because it is personal data of a third party and disclosing it would contravene the data protection principles in Schedule 1 to the Data Protection Act 1998. This exception is not subject to the 'public interest test', so we are not required to consider if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exception.