Response 4015134

Response to request for information

Reference

4015134

Response date

12 June 2026

Request

Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 in respect of the Land East of Gamston / North of Tollerton Strategic Urban Extension and planning applications 20/03244/OUT and 24/00347/HYBRID.

Please provide copies of the cost plans, reports and independent reviews or commentary held by Rushcliffe Borough Council.

Response

We confirm that we are likely to hold information in the categories requested, however,  your request is formulated in too general a manner for us to process a response.  On the face of it your request relates, or mostly relates, to planning information where requested disclosure is normally made under the Environmental Information Regulations 2000 (EIR).  It may be that Freedom of Information Act also applies to some of the information, but this is difficult to ascertain based on the request as in its current form.  
 
Refusal to provide information is based on Regulation 12(4)(c) which states: For the purposes of paragraph (1)(a), a public authority may refuse to disclose information to the extent that – (c) the request for information is formulated in too general a manner and the public authority has complied with regulation 9;

Regulation 9 (2) Where a public authority decides that an applicant has formulated a request in too general a manner, it shall (a) ask the applicant as soon as possible and in any event no later than 20 working days after the date of receipt of the request, to provide more particulars in relation to the request; and (b) assist the applicant in providing those particulars.

The scope of your request should be clarified, ideally using searchable terms. Phrases such as ‘reviews and commentaries’ are particularly vague in relation to such a large scheme. Refining your request so that compliance is reasonable can be achieved by considering what classes of documents you truly require. For unpublished documents this could be clarified and defined by subject matter, time period, origin or another searchable criterion. 
 
It is possible that some of the documents you seek have already been published on the planning portal. These documents are exempt from disclosure if they are readily accessible in accordance with section 21 FOIA. Published information can be viewed in the planning register by entering the above planning references into the portal.

Your refined request should be specific but should not be so wide that compliance with the request would require a disproportionate expenditure of resources.  Your request is similar to a recent one made in similar terms under reference 3963469 ( it was stated to be a “request for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 in relation to the Land East of Gamston / North of Tollerton Strategic Urban Extension (“SUE allocation”), including but not limited to planning applications 20/03244/OUT and 24/00347/HYBRID).

This request was specific, but its scope was so wide that the request had to be refused as compliance could not be achieved within the cost limit determined by the legislation (currently £450 or 18 hours of officer time). You may find the response to this information request useful – this can be viewed using this link. Response 3963469 - Rushcliffe Borough Council