High carbon infrastructure and fossil fuel extraction planning
Dear Essex County Council,
Please treat this as a Freedom of Information/Environmental Information Regulations request.
I would like information about your council’s planning in relation to climate action for the Council Climate Action Scorecards. This information is most likely to be held by a planning officer or similar.
In particular, please supply me with information relating to the following questions:
a. Has the Council approved any new*1 or expanded*2 roads or road junctions in its area from 1st January 2019 until 1st January 2023? Please list which ones were accepted.
*1 The intention of this question is to understand overall increases in road capacity, rather than recent housing developments. Please exclude minor roads built exclusively to connect new housing to the pre-existing road network.
*2 An expanded road or road junction is one that has increased capacity for motor vehicle traffic, not counting bus lanes, cycle infrastructure, or pedestrian infrastructure. Please include roads and junctions where new lanes have been added.
b. Has the Council approved any planning applications for fossil fuel extraction projects proposed in its area since 1st January 2019 until 1st January 2023? Please list which ones were accepted, including where relevant fossil fuel projects that were later ‘called in’ by central government.
By fossil fuel extraction projects we mean: any oil wells and fields (on or offshore), coal mines, fracking and shale gas, gas, natural (including liquified) gas (on or off shore) plants, and unabated fossil fuel generation and power plants well as related infrastructure such as pipelines and terminals for the fossil fuels.
I look forward to hearing from you in due course.
Yours faithfully,
Hannah Jewell, Climate Emergency UK
Dear Hannah Jewell,
Thank you for your recent request for information. I have merged your two planning requests together into one case.
Your request is covered by the Environmental Information Regulations, which requires us to respond within 20 working days.
We will determine and let you know whether we hold the information you have requested and consider whether we are able to release the information or if it is exempt from disclosure.
ECC does not usually charge for providing information to its requestors as the provision of electronic copies is negligible, however under certain circumstances we may have to do so if providing the information costs more than £25. We will let you know before we do any work that would incur a charge.
Please note that the response and data released to you as part of this request will be published on the Essex County Council website. The website address is https://secureapps.essex.gov.uk/Freedom_.... All requests will be anonymised and no personal information including contact details will be disclosed as part of this process.
Please contact me if you would like further advice or assistance about your request, or your right to access information held by Essex County Council.
Yours sincerely,
Naomi Hinder
Your Right To Know
Essex County Council
T: 033301 38989
E: [email address]
W: www.essex.gov.uk
Dear Sir/Madam,
Thank you for your request for information. Please find our response to
your request on the accompanying document(s).
I trust that this information satisfies your request. However, should you
require anything further, please contact me and I will endeavour to assist
you further.
if you are not satisfied with your response, please contact me so I can
try to resolve the issue. Alternatively, if you wish to make a complaint,
you can find the details at
[1]https://www.essex.gov.uk/Your-Council/Yo...
If, after following our complaints procedure, you are still not satisfied,
you are entitled to ask the Information Commissioner to review our
decision. You can contact the Information Commissioner at Wycliffe House,
Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF; Telephone 0303 123 1113.
Please note that the response and data released to you as part of this
request will be published on the Essex County Council website. The website
address is
[2]https://www.essex.gov.uk/Your-Council/Yo....
All requests will be anonymised and no personal information including
contact details will be disclosed as part of this process.
If you would like to take a short customer satisfaction survey please use
the link below
[3]https://consultations.essex.gov.uk/infor...
Kind Regards
Daniel Cuthbert
Your Right To Know
External IG Team
Democracy and Transparency
Corporate and Customer Services
Essex County Council
T: 03330 134925
E: [4][email address]
W: [5]www.essex.gov.uk
References
Visible links
1. https://www.essex.gov.uk/Your-Council/Yo...
2. https://www.essex.gov.uk/Your-Council/Yo...
3. https://consultations.essex.gov.uk/infor...
4. mailto:[email address]
5. https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlo...
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