Publication Draft
(1)7. Glossary
This Glossary of terms is intended to act as a reference point for unfamiliar or technical terms included in the Local Plan. Unless stated these are not definitive or legal descriptions.
Affordable Housing: Social rented, affordable rented and intermediate housing, provided to eligible households whose needs are not met by the market. Eligibility is determined with regard to local incomes and local house prices. Affordable housing should include provisions to remain at an affordable price for future eligible households or for the subsidy to be recycled for alternative affordable housing provision.
Social rented housing is owned by local authorities and private registered providers (as defined in section 80 of the Housing and Regeneration Act 2008), for which guideline target rents are determined through the national rent regime. It may also be owned by other persons and provided under equivalent rental arrangements to the above, as agreed with the local authority or with the Homes and Communities Agency.
Affordable rented housing is let by local authorities or private registered providers of social housing to households who are eligible for social rented housing. Affordable Rent is subject to rent controls that require a rent of no more than 80% of the local market rent (including service charges, where applicable).
Intermediate housing is homes for sale and rent provided at a cost above social rent, but below market levels subject to the criteria in the Affordable Housing definition above. These can include shared equity (shared ownership and equity loans), other low cost homes for sale and intermediate rent, but not affordable rented housing.
Homes that do not meet the above definition of affordable housing, such as “low cost market” housing, may not be considered as affordable housing for planning purposes.
Aged or Veteran tree: A tree which, because of its great age, size or condition is of exceptional value for wildlife, in the landscape, or culturally.
Age Friendly Housing: Housing which can respond effectively to older people’s changing health and social care needs over time and which supports independent living for longer
Air Quality Management Areas: Areas designated by local authorities because they are not likely to achieve national air quality objectives by the relevant deadlines.
Amenity: The extent to which people are able to enjoy public places and their own dwellings without undue pollution, disturbance or intrusion from nearby uses.
Ancient Woodland: An area that has been wooded continuously since at least 1600 AD.
Annual Monitoring Report (AMR): The report prepared by the Council to assess the implementation of the Local Development Scheme and the extent to which the policies of the Development Plan are being achieved.
Area of Search: A broad area within which particular development may be acceptable subject to detailed considerations.
Best and most versatile agricultural land: Land in grades 1, 2 and 3a of the Agricultural Land Classification.
Biodiversity: The whole variety of life encompassing all genetics, species and ecosystem variations including plants and animals.
Biodiversity Offsetting: Conservation activities that are designed to give biodiversity gain to compensate for residual losses. This is different from other types of ecological compensation as it needs to show measurable outcomes that are sustained over time.
Brownfield Land: See the definition of previously developed land below.
Climate Change Adaptation: Adjustments to natural or human systems in response to actual or expected climatic factors or their effects (including from changes in rainfall and rising temperatures) which moderate harm or exploit beneficial opportunities for climate change mitigation: Action to reduce the impact of human activity on the climate system, primarily through reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Combined Heat and Power (CHP): An efficient technology for generating electricity and heat together. A CHP plant is an installation where there is simultaneous generation of usable heat and power (usually electricity) in a single process. The heat generated in the process is utilised via suitable heat recovery equipment for a variety of purposes including industrial processes and community heating.
Community Infrastructure Levy (C.I.L): A levy that local authorities can choose to charge on new developments in their area according to the Community Infrastructure Levy Regulations. In areas where a community infrastructure levy is in force, land owners and developers must pay the levy to the local council. The charges are set based on the size and type of the new development. The money raised from the community infrastructure levy can be used to support development by funding infrastructure that the council, local community and neighbourhoods want, like new or safer road schemes, park improvements or a new health centre.
Comparison Shopping: The provision of retail goods not obtained on a frequent basis i.e. televisions, carpets.
Conservation (for heritage policy): The process of maintaining and managing change to a heritage asset in a way that sustains and, where appropriate, enhances its significance.
Conservation Area: Means specifically designated areas of architectural or historic interest the character of which it is important to maintain or enhance.
Convenience Shopping: The provision of everyday essential items such as food.
Density: A measure of the number of dwellings per hectare (ha).
Development Brief: A detailed planning document relating to a specific site or area which provides detailed guidance on the nature and form of the type of development that may take place there. Development Briefs use the Local Plan as a first point of reference with which to build upon and create a document with a greater level of detail.
Development Plan: This includes adopted Local Plans, neighbourhood plans and other plans as defined in section 38 of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004.
Economic Development: Development, including those within the B Use Classes, public and community uses and main town centre uses (but excluding housing development).
Edge of Centre: For retail purposes, a location that is well connected and up to 300 metres of the primary shopping area. For all other main town centre uses, a location within 300 metres of a town centre boundary. For office development, this includes locations outside the town centre but within 500 metres of a public transport interchange. In determining whether a site falls within the definition of edge of centre, account should be taken of local circumstances.
Environmental Impact Assessment: A procedure to be followed for certain types of project to ensure that decisions are made in full knowledge of any likely significant effects on the environment.
Farm Diversification: The development of farm-based non-agricultural activities to support farming incomes.
Geodiversity: The variety of rocks, fossils, minerals and natural processes.
Green Belt: Land allocated within the development plan for the district to prevent urban sprawl by keeping land permanently open. Guidance on Green Belt policy is contained in the National Planning Policy Framework. The Local Plan defines detailed boundaries of Green Belt land.
Greenfield Land: Undeveloped or vacant land not included in the definition of previously developed land, as set out below
Green Infrastructure: A network of multi-functional green space, urban and rural, which is capable of delivering a wide range of environmental and quality of life benefits for local communities.
Habitat Biodiversity Audit (HBA): Refers to the partnership project launched in 1995 to provide up to date readily accessible ecological data across Warwickshire, Coventry and Solihull.
Heritage Asset: A building, monument, site, place, area or landscape identified as having a degree of significance meriting consideration in planning decisions, because of its heritage interest. Heritage asset includes designated heritage assets and assets identified by the local planning authority (including local listing).
High Speed Two (HS2): Proposed high speed rail line and associated infrastructure between London and the West Midlands (Phase One) and on to Manchester and Leeds (Phase Two).
Historic Environment: All aspects of the environment resulting from the interaction between people and places through time, including all surviving physical remains of past human activity, whether visible, buried or submerged, and landscaped and planted or managed flora.
Historic Landscape Characterisation: A programme involving desk based mapping and analysis of the historical and cultural origins and development of the present landscape to inform understanding and management of the historic landscape resource and to establish an integrated approach to its sustainable management.
International, National and Locally Designated Sites of Importance for Biodiversity: All international sites (Special Areas of Conservation, Special Protection Areas, and Ramsar sites), national sites (Sites of Special Scientific Interest) and locally designated sites including Local Wildlife Sites.
Listed Buildings: Relates to buildings which are designated for their architectural or historic interest and are statutorily protected to ensure their protection.
Local Enterprise Partnership: A body, designated by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, established for the purpose of creating or improving the conditions for economic growth in an area. Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership is the relevant body for the local area.
Local Nature Partnership: A body, designated by the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, established for the purpose of protecting and improving the natural environment in an area and the benefits derived from it. Warwickshire, Coventry and Solihull Local Nature Partnership is the relevant body for the local area.
Local Plan: The plan for the future development of the local area, drawn up by the local planning authority in consultation with the community. In law this is described as the development plan documents adopted under the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004.
Local Planning Authority: The public authority whose duty it is to carry out specific planning functions for a particular area. All references to local planning authority apply to the district council, London borough council, county council, Broads Authority, National Park Authority and the Greater London Authority, to the extent appropriate to their responsibilities.
Local Nature Reserves (LNRs): Relates to land of local significance, designated and conserved for its wildlife interest by local authorities in consultation with Natural England.
Local Transport Plans: A five year integrated transport strategy setting out the aims, objectives and policies for achieving more sustainable and integrated transport. Local Transport Plans are prepared for the whole county area.
Main Town Centre Uses: Retail development (including warehouse clubs and factory outlet centres); leisure, entertainment facilities the more intensive sport and recreation uses (including cinemas, restaurants, drive-through restaurants, bars and pubs, night-clubs, casinos, health and fitness centres, indoor bowling centres, and bingo halls); offices; and arts, culture and tourism development (including theatres, museums, galleries and concert halls, hotels and conference facilities).
Market Housing: Housing either bought or rented on the open market which does not meet the definition of Affordable Housing.
Material Planning Consideration: An issue which may legitimately be taken into account when deciding a planning application or in an appeal against a planning decision.
Mineral Safeguarding Area: An area designated by Minerals Planning Authorities which covers known deposits of minerals which are desired to be kept safeguarded from unnecessary sterilisation by non-mineral development.
Mixed Use Development: Development that incorporates a range and variety of uses within a single development site, for example, retail, residential and business.
Neighbourhood Plans: A plan prepared by a Parish Council or Neighbourhood Forum for a particular neighbourhood area (made under the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004).
Older People: People over, or approaching, retirement age, including the active, newly-retired through to the very frail elderly, whose housing needs can encompass accessible, adaptable general needs housing for those looking to downsize from family housing and the full range of retirement and specialised housing for those with support or care needs.
Open Space: All open space of public value, including not just land, but also areas of water (such as rivers, canals, lakes and reservoirs) which offer important opportunities for sport and recreation and can act as a visual amenity.
Out of Centre: A location which is not in or on the edge of a centre but not necessarily outside the urban area.
Out of Town: A location out of centre that is outside the existing urban area.
Park and Ride: An initiative whereby car parking areas are provided at the edge of an urban/built up area and frequent public transport is provided linking this to the town centres or other foci of travel demand.
Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act: The Act of Parliament which introduced the legislation associated with the new planning system in 2004.
Planning Conditions: A method to control development and can only be imposed on planning permissions where there is a clear land use planning justification for doing so and the Local Planning Authority is required to give clear, full and precise reasons for any conditions imposed. A test of a legitimate condition is if the proposal may have been refused without it.
Planning Obligation: A legally enforceable obligation entered into under section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 to mitigate the impacts of a development proposal.
Playing Field: The whole of a site which encompasses at least one playing pitch as defined in the Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) Order 2010.
Policies Map: A map which identifies the location of any geographically specific policies and proposals within the local plan. The Policies Map forms part of the local plan and should be read alongside the written statement.
Pollution: Anything that affects the quality of land, air, water or soils, which might lead to an adverse impact on human health, the natural environment or general amenity. Pollution can arise from a range of emissions, including smoke, fumes, gases, dust, steam, odour, noise and light.
Previously Developed Land: Land which is or was occupied by a permanent structure, including the curtilage of the developed land (although it should not be assumed that the whole of the curtilage should be developed) and any associated fixed surface infrastructure. This excludes: land that is or has been occupied by agricultural or forestry buildings; land that has been developed for minerals extraction or waste disposal by landfill purposes where provision for restoration has been made through development control procedures; land in built-up areas such as private residential gardens, parks, recreation grounds and allotments; and land that was previously-developed but where the remains of the permanent structure or fixed surface structure have blended into the landscape in the process of time.
Primary and Secondary frontages: Primary frontages are likely to include a high proportion of retail uses which may include food, drinks, clothing and household goods. Secondary frontages provide greater opportunities for a diversity of uses such as restaurants, cinemas and businesses.
Registered Parks and Gardens: Parks and gardens which appear on the Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest compiled by English Heritage.
Renewable and Low Carbon Energy: Includes energy for heating and cooling as well as generating electricity. Renewable energy covers those energy flows that occur naturally and repeatedly in the environment – from the wind, the fall of water, the movement of the oceans, from the sun and also from biomass and deep geothermal heat. Low carbon technologies are those that can help reduce emissions (compared to conventional use of fossil fuels).
Rural Enterprise: A rural business which depends upon, or supports, the rural environment or a rural community.
Rural exception sites: Small sites used for affordable housing in perpetuity where sites would not normally be used for housing. Rural exception sites seek to address the needs of the local community by accommodating households who are either current residents or have an existing family or employment connection. Small numbers of market homes may be allowed at the local authority’s discretion, for example where essential to enable the delivery of affordable units without grant funding.
Safeguarding Zone: An area defined in Circular 01/03: Safeguarding aerodromes, technical sites and military explosives storage areas, to safeguard such sites.
Scheduled Ancient Monument: A site of archaeological or historical interest which is statutorily protected in order to ensure its preservation. The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 imposes stringent controls on works affecting these monuments.
Section 106 Agreement: A legal agreement that ensures development provides an appropriate range of community and infrastructural benefits, relating to the requirements of the planning permission. Section 106 agreements are the principle means of securing planning obligations.
Sequential Approach: A means of determining the most appropriate locations for various types of development. Sites can be assessed, measured and, if necessary, ranked against a range of criteria to determine the optimum location. The sequential approach is defined in the National Planning Policy Framework (for example in relation to town centres and flooding).
Setting of a Heritage Asset: The surroundings in which a heritage asset is experienced. Its extent is not fixed and may change as the asset and its surroundings evolve. Elements of a setting may make a positive or negative contribution to the significance of an asset, may affect the ability to appreciate that significance or may be neutral.
Significance (for heritage policy): The value of a heritage asset to this and future generations because of its heritage interest. That interest may be archaeological, architectural, artistic or historic. Significance derives not only from a heritage asset’s physical presence, but also from its setting.
Site of Special Scientific Interest: Sites designated by Natural England under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
Sport England: The national body responsible for the strategic lead of sport in England, delivering the government’s sporting objectives, developing a framework for the country’s sporting infrastructure and distributing lottery funding to sporting projects across the country.
Statement of Community Involvement: A statement setting out the standards which local authorities will achieve in involving local communities in producing Local Development Documents and planning applications.
Supplementary Planning Documents: Documents which add further detail to the policies in the Local Plan. They can be used to provide further guidance for development on specific sites, or on particular issues, such as design. Supplementary planning documents are capable of being a material consideration in planning decisions but are not part of the development plan.
Surface Water Drainage: Drainage systems created to deal with the efficient disposal of rainwater that falls on a proposed development site.
Sustainability Appraisal: A formal, systematic process evaluating the social, economic and environmental impacts of policies, plans or programmes incorporating the requirements of EC Directive 2001/42/EC.
Sustainable Development: Resolution 42/187 of the United Nations General Assembly defines sustainable development as meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. The UK Sustainable Development Strategy Securing the Future sets out five ‘guiding principles’ of sustainable development: living within the planet’s environmental limits; ensuring a strong, healthy and just society; achieving a sustainable economy; promoting good governance; and using sound science responsibly.
Sustainable Transport Modes: Any efficient, safe and accessible means of transport with overall low impact on the environment, including walking and cycling, low and ultra-low emission vehicles, car sharing and public transport.
Town centre: Area defined on the Policies Map, including the primary shopping area and areas predominantly occupied by main town centre uses within or adjacent to the primary shopping area. References to town centres or centres apply to city centres, town centres, district centres and local centres but exclude small parades of shops of purely neighbourhood significance. Unless they are identified as centres in Local Plans, existing out-of-centre developments, comprising or including main town centre uses, do not constitute town centres.
Transport Assessment: A comprehensive and systematic process that sets out transport issues relating to a proposed development. It identifies what measures will be required to improve accessibility and safety for all modes of travel, particularly for alternatives to the car such as walking, cycling and public transport and what measures will need to be taken to deal with the anticipated transport impacts of the development.
Transport Statement: A simplified version of a transport assessment where it is agreed the transport issues arising out of development proposals are limited and a full transport assessment is not required.
Travel Plan: A long-term management strategy for an organisation or site that seeks to deliver sustainable transport objectives through action and is articulated in a document that is regularly reviewed.
Use Classes Order: A statutory instrument within the town and country planning system, which sets out categories of uses to clarify when planning permission is not required for the development of land, including the making of a material change in the use of any buildings or other land. Changes within the classes do not normally need permission, whereas changes between the classes normally do.
Viability: This can have two meanings:
an objective financial viability test of the ability of a development project to meet its costs including the cost of planning obligations, whilst ensuring an appropriate site value for the landowner and a market risk adjusted return to the developer in delivering that project. Essentially it is the ability to attract investment and business.
To be capable of existing/surviving successfully. The term is often used in the context of whether town centres are able to exist as viable retail areas.
Wildlife Corridor: Areas of habitat connecting wildlife populations.
Windfall Sites: Sites which have not been specifically identified as available in the Local Plan process. They normally comprise previously-developed sites that have unexpectedly become available.