Sent: 17 November 2025
Due: 16 December 2025
Review Sent: 16 December 2025
Review Due: 19 January 2025
Received: 18 December 2025
FS-Case-766087943
**Note: The result of this FOI is exactly what I predicted it would be. No attempts have been made by the Highland Council to comply with their mandatory legal obligations of Article 13 & 14 GDPR in relation to planning enforcement.
18 December 2025
Original FOI request: Sources of Planning Enforcement Complaints & Article 14 GDPR
Please provide the following information:
1. A table breaking down by source of the complaint, such as member of the public, councillor, or council staff etc the number of all planning enforcement complaints from 1 January 2025 to the current date 17 November 2025.
Please see the below information for the number of cases by source for planning enforcement complaints.
External Member of Public - 340
Internal Other Service - 38
Internal Infrastructure and Environment Service - 79
External Community Council - 7
External Anonymous - 2
Internal Councillor - 9
2. The number of Article 14 GDPR notices issued to the data subjects who were subjects of those planning enforcement complaints in the same period as above.
3. A copy of the Council’s template for Article 14 GDPR notices used for planning enforcement purposes.
Following a complaint to the Council, the enforcement team were advised to add a link to the correspondence they send out. This link is to the privacy notice relating to a breach of planning control - https://www.highland.gov.uk/privacy-Breach_of_planning_control . This happened in May 2025 and prior to that the complainants who used the online form would have been given a link to the privacy notice via the form.
However, it has subsequently been pointed out that this notice is directed at the complainant rather those being complained about. Following a review of this notice, it has been established that further information needs to be added to the notice for those who are the subject of a potential breach of planning control. This is being discussed with the Service and the notice will be updated or replaced in the near future.
Under Section 20 of Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002, you have the right to request that the Highland Council reviews any aspect of how it has dealt with your request. This requirement for review should be requested to the Freedom of Information Officer, Highland Council, Glenurquhart Road, Inverness IV3 5NX, or foireview@highland.gov.uk, within 40 working days of receipt of this response. The request should include details of the information requested and the aspects of the Highland Councils response which you are not satisfied with.
If you are subsequently dissatisfied with the outcome of the Councils review, you have the right to appeal to the Scottish Information Commissioner under Section 47 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002, within six months of receiving the Councils review response.
Yours sincerely
Customer Resolution and Improvement
16 December 2025
Dear Miles,
The following FOI is now overdue:
FS-Case-766087943. Planning Enforcement Cases & Article 14 GDPR.
Target Date: 16 December 2025.
If you could return on that at your earliest opportunity I shall be grateful.
Kind regards.
17 November 2025
Please provide the following information:
1. A table breaking down by source of the complaint, (ie member of the public, councillor, council staff) the number of all planning enforcement complaints from 1 JAN 2025 to the current date 17 NOV 2025.
2. The number of Article 14 GDPR notices issued to the data subjects who were subjects of those planning enforcement complaints in the same period as above.
3. A copy of the Council’s template for Article 14 GDPR notices used for planning enforcement purposes.
Thank you for your time & attention.
Kind regards,