Thistle Phase 3 & 4 Estate development project funding: FOI release

Information requested

You asked for for information the Scottish Government has in relation to public funding, grants, or subsidies allocated for the Thistle Phase 3 & 4 Estate development at Robin Place/Tudsberry Avenue, Edinburgh (EH16 4GX), delivered by Places for People / Castle Rock Edinvar.

The following information was requested:

1. Details of any government funding, grants, or subsidies awarded for the development of Thistle Phase 3 & 4, including the amount, purpose, and conditions attached to the funding.

2. Any agreements or contracts between Edinburgh City Council, the Scottish Government, and Places for People / Castle Rock Edinvar regarding the funding and intended use.

3. Any documentation confirming whether a Combined Heat and Power (CHP) system was a funded requirement and if any deviations from the planned heating system were reported.

4. Any audits, reports, or assessments on compliance with the funding terms.

Response

I enclose a copy of some of the information you requested.

As way of background, the Scottish Government (SG) has an area network of teams responsible for delivering Investment Programmes particularly related to the Affordable Housing Supply Programme (AHSP). However, responsibility for the day to day management and delivery of the AHSP in Edinburgh (and Glasgow) is devolved to the Council through the Transfer of the Management of Development Funding (TMDF) arrangement which means that City of Edinburgh Council officials carry out the functions which SG staff cover in other parts of Scotland. What this means in practice is that the City of Edinburgh Council should hold much of the information that you have requested above.

In relation to the requested information in bullet point 1 above, asking for details we hold on funding, grants or subsidies awarded for the development of Thistle Phase 3 & 4, including the amount, purpose, and conditions attached to the funding, please see the following information that we do have available.

Project Details:

• Thistle 3 – Social Rent – Ref T34283 – Grant Approval Year 2016/17 – Completion Date: 29 November 2019 - Total AHSP Grant award: £2.487m
• Thistle 3 – Mid Market Rent – Ref T34284 – Grant Approval Year 2016/17 – Completion Date: 22 November 2019 - Total AHSP Grant award: £0.566m
• Thistle 3 – Shared Equity – Ref T35280 – Grant Approval Year 2016/17 – Completion Date: 30 May 2019 - Total AHSP Grant award: £0.261m
• Thistle 4 – Mid Market Rent – Ref T35869 – Grant Approval Year 2017/18 – Completion Date: 30 August 2020 - Total AHSP Grant award: £2.307m
• Thistle 4 – Shared Equity – Ref T35870 – Grant Approval Year 2017/18 – Completion Date: 30 August 2020 - Total AHSP Grant award: £1.437m

In relation to the above, we have also enclosed copies of the grant offers that we hold which are for the projects at Thistle 4 (Mid Market Rent) and Thistle 4 (Shared Equity). These are the grant award offer letters with associated conditions between the City of Edinburgh Council and either Places for People / Castle Rock Edinvar. While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we are unable to provide some of the information you have requested because an exemption under section s.38(1)(b) of FOISA applies to some of the information you have requested. The sections which have been redacted on the attached documents are because they contain the name of individuals.

This exemption is subject to the 'public interest test'. Therefore, taking account of all the circumstances of this case, we have considered if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exemption. We have found that, on balance, the public interest lies in favour of upholding the exemption. We recognise that there is some public interest in release because the individuals were involved in the affordable housing development. However, this is outweighed by the public interest in upholding data protection.

This is a formal notice under section 17(1) of FOISA that the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested. We do not hold the grant award offer letters for the projects at Thistle 3. This is because prior to September 2017, when we introduced a new Housing Programme IT system, we did not have access to grant offers, which were instead solely held by the Council in their role as the grant provider. The grant offers for the projects at Thistle 3 should however be available from the City of Edinburgh Council.

In relation to your request under bullet point 2 above, the Scottish Government does not have the information you have asked for because any agreements or contracts would be directly between the City of Edinburgh Council and Places for People / Castle Rock Edinvar and we therefore do not hold this information. In relation to bullet points 3 and 4 above, this is not information that we hold.

The Scottish Government places significant importance on a council’s strategic role to plan for the effective delivery of affordable housing locally in line with its Local Housing Strategy. It is therefore the responsibility of the City of Edinburgh Council to ensure social and affordable housing is being delivered of the right type and in the right place and in the most effective way to meet its strategic priorities. It is a matter for the council to implement its affordable housing strategy in line with its housing policy, its Local Housing Strategy and its Strategic Housing Investment Plan, as the strategic housing authority in the Craigmillar area, and across Edinburgh more widely. I am aware that the same FOI request has been sent to the City of Edinburgh Council from which you will receive a separate response, however any concerns around the general implementation of the housing strategy in the City of Edinburgh Council can be directed to: affordable.housing@edinburgh.gov.uk.

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at https://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.

FOI 202500458657 - Information Released - Annex

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