Braintree District Council

The complainant requested information about a particular planning application. Braintree District Council (the Council) provided some information and withheld other information under regulation 12(4)(d) (material in the course of completion) and regulation 13 (personal data). The complainant raised concerns about the absence of an earlier draft of the planning report. The Council confirmed that it considered the earlier draft of the planning report to be exempt under regulation 12(4)(d) of the EIR. The Commissioner’s decision is that the Council correctly applied regulation 12(4)(d) to the request and the public interest favours maintaining the exception. The Commissioner does not require any steps to be taken.