Hamilton Community Growth Area - Collapse of Stewart Milne
Dear South Lanarkshire Council,
Stewart Milne is the lead developer in the Hamilton Community Growth Area, owning and selling portions of the site to other housebuilders; Stewart Milne has just collapsed as a company. Hundreds of social homes were yet to be built.
Therefore;
What contingencies has the Council put in place to ensure that these social homes will still be built?
As the strategic and housing planning authority what actions will the Council be taking to ensure the development of the Hamilton Community Growth Area?
What actions will the Council be taking to inform residents of Meikle Earnock and the Hamilton Community Growth Area concerning the collapse of Stewart Milne and the actions the Council will be taking to address this in terms of the continuing development?
Yours faithfully,
Nick Durie
Good afternoon,
Thank you for your request for information, received on 10 January 2024.
Please be advised this has been passed to the appropriate officer who will
issue a response as soon as possible, but no later than 7 February 2024.
Kind regards,
Lesley-Ann Martin
Secretary
Community & Enterprise Resources
South Lanarkshire Council
Council Headquarters
Floor 6
Almada Street
Hamilton
ML3 0AA
Tel: 01698 455127
Contact via MSTeams
Email: [1][email address]
Website: [2]www.southlanarkshire.gov.uk
[3]A person standing next to a box Description automatically generated
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Good morning Mr Durie,
Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (FOISA)
Request for information
I refer to your request for information received by the Council on 10^th
January 2024 in which you ask for the following information:
1. What contingencies has the Council put in place to ensure that these
social homes will still be built?
2. As the strategic and housing planning authority what actions will the
Council be taking to ensure the development of the Hamilton Community
Growth Area?
3. What actions will the Council be taking to inform residents of Meikle
Earnock and the Hamilton Community Growth Area concerning the collapse
of Stewart Milne and the actions the Council will be taking to address
this in terms of the continuing development?
Response to Requests
The Council has searched its records and has not located any of the
information that you have requested. This is because you have requested
information on potential future actions that the Council may take, rather
than seeking information that we currently hold or about any actions which
may have been taken to date. As the Council does not hold the information
that you have requested it is exempt in terms of Section 17 of FOISA.
Additional Information
Whilst the requested information is not information which we can hold and
release under FOI legislation we have, notwithstanding the limitations of
FOISA legislation, sought to answer your queries to the best of our
ability in terms of any potential future actions and the Council’s
legislative responsibilities. In response to your questions we can confirm
that;
1. No agreement or contract is in place for Stewart Milne to deliver
social housing as part of South Lanarkshire Council’s new-build
housing programme. Where arrangements do exist to purchase social
housing sites within the Hamilton CGA, these are not with Stewart
Milne.
2. The delivery of private housing on consented/allocated housing sites
within the Development Plan is a matter for individual landowners.
Planning permission goes with the ownership of the land and the local
planning authority cannot compel private landowners to develop land.
3. Whilst the collapse of a large housebuilding company is of course a
cause for concern, the entering into administration of a private
company is not something that a local planning authority would
normally seek to brief residents on. Similarly, the continuation of
any development sites, their ongoing ownership status or potential
future sale to other interested parties is not something where the
local planning authority would normally seek to address.
Request for review
We have an internal panel (the Review Panel) to deal with complaints from
people who are not happy about the way that we have handled their request.
Staff not involved in the original decision will handle any review.
If you want to complain, you can ask the Review Panel to look at the way
that we have dealt with your request. It will consider whether we have
complied with the requirements of the legislation. Please note that if
you wish to complain, you must do so by 6^th April 2024. You must explain
why you are not happy when requesting a review.
Please note that the Review Panel cannot look at any decisions taken by
the Council or actions of the Council or any of its employees or a service
provided by it that are not connected to the handling of your request for
information.
You should send your request for a review to:
FOI Reviews
Legal Services
Finance and Corporate Resources
Floor 11
Council Offices
Almada Street
Hamilton
ML3 0AA
Alternatively, you can request a review at
[1][email address].
Appeal to the Scottish Information Commissioner
If you are not happy with the outcome of the review, you can appeal to the
Scottish Information Commissioner. The Commissioner will decide whether
we have dealt with your request properly. Please see the Commissioner’s
website at [2]www.itspublicknowledge.info for further details.
Trusting the above is of assistance.
Regards
David Russell | Planning Team Leader (East Area)
Planning and Regulatory Services | Community and Enterprise Resources |
South Lanarkshire Council
Council Offices | Floor 6 | Almada Street | Hamilton | ML3 0AA
Phone: 07795453464
Email: [3][email address]
Web:[4]www.southlanarkshire.gov.uk
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[6]signature_1053430703
From: Martin, Lesley Ann
Sent: Monday, January 15, 2024 1:32 PM
To: '[FOI #1068420 email]'
<[FOI #1068420 email]>
Subject: RE: Freedom of Information request - Hamilton Community Growth
Area - Collapse of Stewart Milne
Good afternoon,
Thank you for your request for information, received on 10 January 2024.
Please be advised this has been passed to the appropriate officer who will
issue a response as soon as possible, but no later than 7 February 2024.
Kind regards,
Lesley-Ann Martin
Secretary
Community & Enterprise Resources
South Lanarkshire Council
Council Headquarters
Floor 6
Almada Street
Hamilton
ML3 0AA
Tel: 01698 455127
Contact via MSTeams
Email: [7][email address]
Website: [8]www.southlanarkshire.gov.uk
[9]A person standing next to a box Description automatically generated
[10]Text Description automatically generated
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