Word or Phrase

Definition

Affordable housing

Comprises low cost market housing and subsidised housing, provided for people who are unable to resolve their housing needs in the local private sector market because of the relationship between housing costs and incomes.

Area of archaeological interest

A locally defined area within an urban centre which may have archaeological resources worthy of protection. 

Area of high ecological value

An area of the countryside, locally designated, which is of recognised importance for wildlife or geology.

Area of higher archaeological potential

Locally defined broad areas within the rural landscape which may contain archaeological resources worthy of protection.

Area of minimum change

Important open areas within villages which are often related to historical development patterns and which contribute significantly to the character of that settlement.

Area of opportunity

Areas within settlements which are ripe for rehabilitation or redevelopment, to improve the local environment.

Area of outstanding natural beauty

An area of countryside that has a landscape value of national importance and is afforded the highest levels of protection as far as landscape and scenic quality are concerned.

Backland development

Land proposed for development to the rear of properties that front onto access roads. Often used in the context of housing developments where the existing settlement is characterised by linear development along access roads with open countryside to the rear.

Biodiversity

A comprehensive term to describe the variety of life around us, including all species of plants and animals, the genetic variation among them and the complex ecosystems of which they are part.

Brownfield land

See Previously developed land.

Community Planning

A process through which local people identify their visions, needs, aspirations and possible solutions. It offers a structured way forward for people to analyse the social, cultural, environmental and economic environment they live in. It is a process owned by local people to enable them to develop their community. Carefully undertaken, community planning can be used to initiate local action, work in partnership with service providers and to apply for funding to improve their quality of life.

Community Strategy

A practical tool for councils and their partners to pursue the economic, social and environmental well-being of their area. It is a long term vision, focussing on achievable outcomes, specific goals and priorities that will contribute to those outcomes and an agreed action plan for meeting these goals and priorities.

The development plan provides the means of implementing those elements of the strategy's vision and priorities that concern the physical development and use of land in an authority's area.

Conservation area

An area of special architectural or historic interest defined by the local planning authority.

Country park

An area of public open space, normally located on the urban fringe, which provides a wide range of predominantly informal recreation activities, within a semi rural environment.

Development brief

A document which provides detailed guidance on the planning and development of a particular site.

Edge of centre location

In retail policy terms, a location within easy walking distance from the Primary Retail Frontages, where retail developments will be encouraged after sites within the Primary Retail Frontages have been assessed. The definition varies depending upon local topography and the size of the town centre, but is unlikely to include sites more than 300 metres from the boundary of the Primary Retail Frontages. In terms of office or leisure uses, edge of centre may be more extensive, based on how far people are prepared to walk.  For office use, this is likely to be up to 500 metres from a public transport facility.

Environmental impact assessment

An assessment required to accompany planning applications for development which are likely to have significant effects on the environment by virtue of their nature, size or location.

Floodplain

An area adjacent to a watercourse where water flows in times of flood or would flow but for the presence of flood defences.

Green belt

An area which has been identified for protection from development to prevent the coalescence of settlements, to maintain the open character of undeveloped land around settlements and to protect their historic settings.

Greenfield infill

See Greenfield site and Infill.

Greenfield site

Land which has not been developed previously for urban land uses, usually land last used for agriculture, located outside existing built up areas.

Habitat

The natural home of a wild animal or plant.

Historic park and garden

Parks and gardens included in a register of parks and gardens of special historic interest prepared by English Heritage.

House in multiple occupancy

One dwelling unit (a house or flat) occupied by people who do not form a single household.

Infill

The development of land which is surrounded by other land uses of a similar nature. Usually defined in terms of additional housing development within an existing residential area.

Integrated transport

A concept by which alternative travel arrangements to and from land uses are planned for in a seamless way, to encourage sustainable journeys.

Landscape setting

Areas of countryside containing distinctive landscape features which frame and complement the historic towns of the district.

Landscape character assessment

A study of the landscape which identifies its distinctive physical, ecological, historical and agricultural characteristics and identifies the human and social and economic influences which have shaped it.

Large sites

Housing sites of 10 or more dwellings or with an area of 0.4 hectares or over where the number of dwellings to be built is unknown. A term used in housing land supply monitoring.

Listed buildings

Buildings of special architectural or historic interest designated by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport under the Planning (Listed Building and Conservation Areas) Act 1990.

Local centre

Small grouping of shops usually comprising a newsagent, a general grocery store, a sub-post office and occasionally a pharmacy, a hairdresser and other small shops of a local nature.

Local Nature Reserve (LNR)

A site of local importance for nature conservation designated by local authorities

Local plan

Sets out the local planning authority's detailed policies and specific proposals for the development and use of land in an administrative area which will guide its day-to-day planning decisions. Part of the statutory development plan. Also referred to as the District Plan in West Wiltshire.

Local transport plan

Sets out how the local highway authority intends to deliver an integrated and sustainable transport system within a five year period. It also forms a bid to central government for funding to implement its proposals.

Material consideration

A factor which may be taken into account in decision making on planning applications and which must be relevant to the development  and use of land.

Minerals local plan

A local plan containing polices and proposals for mineral working (including disposal of mineral waste) and for the protection of mineral resources. Part of the statutory development plan.

Mixed use site

A site containing a number of land uses, often in town centre locations. Used particularly where housing is proposed along with other land uses to create vitality and diversity and to reduce the need to travel. 

Open space

Land used for public or private recreational purposes.

Other greenfield

A housing allocation proposed on greenfield land which is not an infill development within an urban area, nor identified as a strategic site.

Out of centre

A location that is clearly separate from a town centre, but not necessarily outside the urban area.

Previously developed land

Land which is or was occupied by a permanent structure (excluding agricultural or forestry buildings), and associated fixed surface infrastructure. The definition covers the curtilage of the development. Previously developed land may occur in both built up and rural settings. The definition includes defence buildings and land used for mineral extraction and waste disposal where provision for restoration has not been made through development control procedures. The definition excludes land and buildings that are currently in use for agricultural or forestry purposes, and land in built up areas which has not been developed previously (e.g. parks, recreation grounds, and allotments- even though these areas may contain certain urban features such as paths, pavilions and other buildings). Also excluded is land that was previously developed but where the remains of any structure or activity have blended into the landscape in the process of time (to the extent that it can reasonably be considered as part of the natural surroundings), and where there is a clear reason that could outweigh the re-use of the site - such as its contribution to nature conservation - or it has subsequently been put to an amenity use and cannot be regarded as requiring redevelopment.

Primary retail frontage

An area which attracts the highest rental values relative to the locality, where those uses in class A1 of the use classes order form the greatest proportion. The primary shopping areas within the 5 towns and the town centre in terms of the retail sequential approach.

Primary shopping area

See Primary retail frontage.

Protected species

Wild animals or plants which are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and the Habitats Regulations 1994. Some animals , notably badgers and bats, are protected under their own legislation.

Ramsar site

A wetland area of special nature conservation value, especially for wildfowl.

Regionally important geological / geomorphological site (RIGS)

Locally designated sites which are important for their geological or geomorphological interest and are of value for at least two of the following: educational fieldwork, scientific study, historical value, aesthetic value.

Regional planning guidance

Sets out land use policies and proposals for a region, which must be taken into account by development plans.

Renewable energy

Those energy flows that occur naturally and repeatedly in the environment - energy from the sun, the wind and the oceans, and the fall of water. The heat from within the earth itself, geothermal energy, is usually regarded as renewable, although locally it cannot always sustain continuous extraction. Plant material is an important source of renewable energy. Combustible or digestible industrial, agricultural and domestic waste materials are also regarded as renewable sources of energy.

Scheduled ancient monument (SAM)

Archaeological remains of national significance.

Secondary retail frontage

An area within the town centre commercial area boundary but outside the Primary Retail Frontages which attracts lower rental values relative to the locality, where there are a number of A2 and A3 uses, together with other mixed commercial and other uses.

Sequential approach

A process by which the suitability of sites for development are assessed in a particular order according to their location and other factors. Central to the allocation and assessment of proposed housing and retail sites. 

Sites of Nature Conservation Importance

Locally important wildlife or geological sites.

Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)

Site of national importance defined under s28 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981by English Nature which contain features of special ecological, geophysical, physiographical value.

Small sites

Housing sites of less than 10 dwellings or with an area of less than 0.4 hectares where the number of dwellings to be built is unknown. A term used in housing land supply monitoring.

Special Area of Conservation (SAC)

A site designated under the EU Directive on the Conservation of Natural Habitats and of Wild Fauna and Flora as of international importance. Candidate sites are those being considered for designation (cSAC)

Special Protection Area (SPA)

A site designated under Article 4 of EC Directive19/409 as being of international importance for the conservation of rare and/ or migratory wild birds.

Special landscape area

An area of high landscape quality, locally designated.

Strategic greenfield

A large housing allocation proposed on greenfield land which has been identified as  important in terms of its contribution to delivering the overall housing supply and in terms of delivering major public infrastructure.

Structure plan

Sets out in broad terms the general policies and proposals of strategic importance for the development and use of land in an administrative area, taking account of national and regional policies. Part of the statutory development plan.

Supplementary planning guidance

Guidance documents, such as development briefs or design guides, which supplement and clarify policies in the development plan. They must derive out of and be consistent with the development plan and should be prepared in the proper manner, including being subject to public consultation and adopted by the local planning authority.

Sustainability appraisal

A process of identifying, quantifying, weighing up and reporting on the social, economic and environmental effects of policies and proposals in the development plan.

Sustainable development

Development which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

Town centre

In retail and leisure terms, the Primary Retail Frontages, and the preferred location for new retail, leisure and other key town centre uses, in terms of the sequential approach.

Town centre commercial area

The location for a broad range of central facilities and services (including office, retail, civic uses) which provide a focus for the community and for public transport within the 5 towns.

Town policy limits

The defined built up areas of the towns where further infill housing development will be permitted, subject to the criteria contained within Policy H1. Town policy limits have been defined for planning policy purposes only and have no significance in terms of administrative functions. For example, parts of Heywood Parish are shown within Westbury Town Policy Limits and parts of Staverton and Hilperton Parishes are shown within Trowbridge Town Policy Limits.

Tree preservation order

Made by a local authority to secure the protection of woodlands, groups of trees, or individual trees.

Urban capacity

A term used in housing policy to quantify the amount of new housing that an urban area can sensibly accommodate, having regard to a number of environmental and other factors. Local planning authorities are required to undertake studies to identify urban capacity, having regard to the provisions of Planning Policy Guidance Note 3.

Urban extensions

Sites outside but closely associated with urban areas which provide the opportunity to meet housing needs in a comprehensive manner by co-ordinating the provision of housing with existing and planned new infrastructure.

Urban sites

Sites located within defined town policy limits.

Village design statement

A design guide which sets out the character of a village in a way that will encourage locally distinctive design. It is prepared by the local community but should be approved as supplementary planning guidance by the local planning authority.

Village policy limits

The defined areas within villages where limited housing development will be appropriate, subject to the criteria contained within Policy H17 and other relevant policies in the Plan.

Waste local plan

A local plan containing polices and proposals for the minimisation and management of waste. Part of the statutory development plan.

Windfall allowances

An estimation of the number of houses which are likely to be developed during the Plan period on previously developed land which has not been specifically allocated for housing in the local plan. No allowance is made for greenfield windfalls.