This is an HTML version of an attachment to the Freedom of Information request 'Environmental Impact Survey For Gas Storage In Preesall, Lancashire'.


 
 
 
Department of Energy & Climate Change 
3 Whitehall Place, 
London SW1A 2AW 
 
J Lawrenson  
www.gov.uk/decc 
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx 
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx  
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx 
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx 
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx 
 
 
 
 
Your ref:    
 
Our ref: 
FOI2015/16227, FOI2015/16226, FOI2015/16224, FOI2015/16223 &    
FOI2015/16768 
 
 
26  August 2015 
 
Dear Sir or Madam, 
 
Thank you for your email messages of 30 July 2015, 31 July 2015 and 9 August 
2015  where you requested the following information. As your requests are all 
related we are providing a response to them all together in this one letter.  
 
FOI2015/16223 
I require you to furnish me with a copy of all communications between any and 
all members of this department, including Lord Bourne, and  Halite Energy 
Group Limited, communications to include but not exclusive to all written 
correspondence, emails, fax, texts, telephone transcripts and minutes to 
meetings. 
 
FOI2015/16226 
I require you to provide me with a complete copy of the health and safety risk 
assessments carried out on behalf of Halite Energy Group Limited pertaining to 
gas storage and adjoining pipelines at Preesall, Lancashire. 
 
FOI2015/16227 
Why has no environmental impact survey been done at the address of 
Cumming Carr Farm through which you have granted powers of compulsory 
purchase in order for Hallite Energy Group Limited to build a gas pipeline. The 
length of the planned route through this property alone is approximately one 
kilometre and i also understand that no such surveys have been carried out on 
neighbouring farms, please explain why? 
 
 
 


 
 
 
FOI2015/16224 
I require you to provide me with a copy of the full environmental impact survey 
carried out on behalf of Halite Energy Group Limited pertaining to gas storage 
and adjoining pipelines at Preesall, Lancashire

 
FOI2015/16768 
In your Order granting development consent of the application by Hallite Energy 
Group Limited you give direction that deemed Hazardous Substances Consent 
be granted, however, you make no mention of what deemed Hazardous 
Substances might be. I require you to reveal exactly what these deemed 
Hazardous Substances are? 
 
Some of the information which you have requested constitutes environmental 
information for the purposes of the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 
(EIRs). However, to the extent that the information requested is not 
environmental we have also considered your request under the Freedom of 
Information Act 2000 (FOIA). Accordingly, your request has been considered 
under the terms of FOIA and EIR. 
 
Given the breadth of your request in FOI2015/16223 above, we have assumed 
that you are seeking information relating to the Preesall Underground Gas 
Storage Facility planning application. If our assumption is incorrect, we would 
be grateful if could reformulate the request to narrow down the specific type of 
information you are seeking.  A copy of the information that can be disclosed 
(and that is not already in the public domain at: 
 
http://infrastructure.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/projects/north-west/preesall-
saltfield-underground-gas-storage/.
)  is  attached.    Please note  that  some 
information has been redacted and is withheld in accordance with Section 40(2) 
of the Act which relates to personal data.  Section 40(2)  provides an absolute 
exemption for personal data which then falls to be dealt with under the Data 
Protection Act. Personal data of third parties can only be disclosed in 
accordance with the data protection principles.  In particular, the first data 
protection principle requires that disclosure must be fair and lawful and must 
comply with one of the conditions in Schedule 2 of the Data Protection Act.  We 
do not think that it is fair to release the personal data of junior members of staff 
or third parties and do not think that any of the relevant conditions apply. 
 
We also hold information in respect of FOI2015/16223  relating to the legal 
challenge by Halite of the Secretary of State’s original decision on the Preesall 
Underground Gas Storage Facility application. However, we believe this 
information falls within the legal professional privilege exemption in Section 
42(1) of the Act; legal professional privilege attaches to the information as it is 
confidential communication between lawyers and clients and certain other 
information that is created for the purposes of litigation  (e.g. defending the 
Secretary of State’s original decision).  


 
 
 
Section 42 is  subject to a public interest balance.  It is recognised  by the 
Tribunal and the Courts that there is a strong public interest in maintaining the 
confidentiality of legally privileged material. Doing so helps to safeguard the 
openness that is needed in all communications between a client and his/her 
lawyer which in turn helps to deliver full and frank legal advice. The Tribunal has 
held that equally strong countervailing considerations would need to be present 
to override the inbuilt public interest that exists in exempting such information 
from disclosure.  
 
We have considered whether such strong countervailing considerations apply in 
this case but have concluded that they do not. In forming this view we have 
taken into account the large volume of information that is already in the public 
domain which promotes transparency and accountability. We do not believe that 
disclosure of the information (to which legal professional privilege applies) 
would materially add to promoting transparency or accountability. In  any case, 
even if it could be said that such information might promote transparency and 
accountability we do not believe it (as a factor) amounts to a strong 
countervailing factor such that it equals or outweighs the inbuilt public interest in 
exempting the information from disclosure. In our view, disclosure of the 
information  would  undermine the Government’s ability to  seek full and frank 
legal advice and thus defend its legal interests. Accordingly it is our view that 
the public interest balance comes down in favour of exempting the information 
from disclosure.  
 
In respect of your requests FOI2015/16226, 
FOI2015/16227 
and 
FOI2015/16224  we have considered your requests  in accordance with the  
EIRs. This is because the information within these requests falls, in our view, 
within the definition of ‘environmental information’ in the EIRs. 
 
All the information you requested in respect of these requests is  already in the 
public domain. It is available and is accessible to you at:  
 
http://infrastructure.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/projects/north-west/preesall-
saltfield-underground-gas-storage/ 
 
Specifically, in respect of FOI2015/16226, FOI2015/16227, FOI2015/16224 and 
FOI2015/16768 you will wish to be aware that: 
 
•  the Company’s Health Impact Assessment is accessible at: 
http://infrastructure.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/wp-
content/ipc/uploads/projects/EN030001/2.%20Post-
Submission/Application%20Documents/Other%20Documents/9.1.7%20
Health%20Impact%20Assessment.pdf 

•  an environmental impact assessment was carried out by Halite Energy 
Group, which can be  found at the following link: 


 
 
http://infrastructure.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/projects/north-
west/preesall-saltfield-underground-gas-
storage/?ipcsection=docs&stage=app&filter=Environmental+Statement. 
The impact assessment considered the impact of the proposed 
Development, including  gas pipelines; 
  and 
•  paragraphs 4.47-4.49 of the decision letter dated 17 July 2015 
accessible at  
http://infrastructure.planningportal.gov.uk/document/3298602   
sets out the basis of the Hazardous Substances Consent and confirms 
in paragraph 4.49(ii) that the hazardous substance being referred to is 
natural gas.  
 
It  should be noted  that  the above is not intended to be an exhaustive list of 
information  relating to your requests. Other  documents  provided during the 
examination and redetermination processes and  which are also publically 
accessible via the hyperlink above appear to fall within the scope of your 
request. 
  
Appeals Procedure 
 
If you are dissatisfied with the handling of your requests, you have the right to 
ask for an internal review. Internal review requests should be submitted within 
40 working days of the date of receipt of the response to your original letter and 
should be sent to the Information Rights Unit at: 
 
Information Rights Unit (DECC shared service)  
Department for Business, Innovation & Skills 
1 Victoria Street 
London 
SW1H 0ET 
 
E-mail: xxx@xxxx.xxx.xxx.xx 
 
Please remember to quote the reference numbers above in any future 
communications. 
 
If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review, you have the right 
to apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a decision. The 
Information Commissioner can be contacted at: Information Commissioner’s 
Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF. 
 
Yours sincerely 
 
 
National Infrastructure Consents