Correspondence to Ministers and Officials from MSPs and Local Councillors on Housing Developments of 50+ Units: FOI release

Information requested

For the period 1 January 2023 to the present, please provide:

1. Copies of correspondence sent to ministers or officials by MSPs or local councillors regarding specific housing developments of 50 units or more.
2. Where held, any records indicating whether those representations were supportive of, neutral towards, or opposed to the development.
3. Any internal Scottish Government correspondence discussing such representations and their potential impact on decision-making or policy.

​​​​​​​I’m particularly interested in cases where concerns were raised about local opposition, environmental impact, or community resistance.

Response

I enclose a copy of the information you requested. This includes a piece of correspondence sent by an MSP to the Minister for Housing in May 2025 regarding the Holmston Housing Development. I have also included the response provided by the Minister, which I trust you will find useful.

Under regulation 6(1)(b) of the EIRs, we do not have to give you information which is already publicly available and easily accessible to you in another form or format. If, however, you do not have internet access to obtain this information from the website(s) listed, then please contact me again and I will send you a paper copy. In respect of parts 1 and 2 of your request some of the information you have requested is available online at the following locations.

DPEA case reference PPA-350-2060, for residential development at Houston in Renfrewshire, identified three pieces of information:
A letter from Russell Findlay MSP can be viewed here.
A letter from Natalie Don-Innes MSP can be viewed here.
A letter from Paul O’Kane MSP can be viewed here.

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 202600511685 - Information Released - Annex

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