Date: 18/05/2009
Mr Stephen Nash |
|
Dear Mr Nash
Re: Freedom of Information Request No 1205
Thank you for your request for the following information:
The request is for (a) the addresses of all empty commercial properties within the Thurrock Council area; and (b) the names of the owners of those properties referred to in (a).
The statistical information below has been supplied in response to your request for the
above mentioned information.
Empty and exempt non-domestic properties dated 8 May 2009
Name |
Empty Exempt Properties |
Empty Properties > 6 months (Non Industrial) |
Empty Properties >3 months (Industrial) |
Tilbury |
74 |
3 |
4 |
Grays (Thurrock) |
5 |
0 |
0 |
Grays (Town) |
43 |
7 |
1 |
Little Thurrock |
13 |
1 |
0 |
Stanford Le Hope |
25 |
1 |
0 |
Corringham |
17 |
1 |
0 |
East Tilbury |
48 |
0 |
8 |
Homesteads (SLH) |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Chadwell St Mary |
10 |
1 |
0 |
Stifford |
4 |
0 |
0 |
Orsett |
37 |
2 |
1 |
Chafford Hundred |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Belhus |
5 |
0 |
1 |
South Ockendon |
20 |
2 |
2 |
Aveley |
18 |
0 |
1 |
West Thurrock |
65 |
14 |
23 |
Totals |
384 |
32 |
41 |
2
Re: Freedom of Information Request No 1205
Unfortunately, we are unable to provide (a) the addresses of all empty commercial properties within the Thurrock Council area; and (b) the names of the owners of those properties referred to in (a) as a qualified exemption applies.
The absolute exemption is as follows: The information is of a personal nature and disclosure of information would breach the data protection principles of the Data Protection Act. In particular the section 40(2) together with the conditions in section 40(3)a)(i) and section 40(3)(b) which provide exemption as it would breach the principle "that the data should be processed fairly and lawfully". Hence, we are unable to provide you with the address and postcode details in relation to each empty property.
The qualified exemption is as follows: The information if provided could breach Health & Safety regulations. The exemption is Section 38, Health and Safety. We have considered the duty to provide this information to you and the effect its disclosure would have in terms of Health and Safety impact. Disclosure is likely to be detrimental to public safety. Placing this information in the public domain would expose properties to high risk of vandalism, squatters and other illegal activities increasing the risk of crime in the borough. The safety of residents in close proximity to individual properties would be compromised. These considerations support refusal to disclose under the Public Interest test.
Please note: the Council is currently undertaking a review of our position on responding to requests generally about empty property data. We are refreshing our legal advice in line with case precedent and guidance from the Information Commissioner's Office. Once this review is complete, and if this means we can supply you with more detailed information we will write to you with an update.
If you are unhappy with the Council's response you can make a complaint via the
Council's complaints procedures and this will be looked into. If you are not happy with
that response, you may then appeal to the Information Commissioner.
Information supplied in response to your request is the copyright of Thurrock Council.
The information has been supplied for your personal use. Except for permitted acts
under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, the information supplied may not
be copied, distributed, published, or exploited for commercial purposes or financial gain
without the explicit written consent of Thurrock Council.
Yours sincerely
Geraldine Vallis
Freedom of Information Coordinator
01375 652438
Macro FOI.Supplied.letter
Macro FOI.Supplied.letter