GLOSSARY
Adaptable Housing: Dwellings constructed to a standard which allows simple conversion to occupation for people with disabilities.
Affordable Housing:. A full definition of affordable housing is found in policy HSG.9 and its supporting text.
Agricultural Dwelling: A house or flat which is subject to, or proposed to be subject to, a legal limitation which specifies that its occupancy be limited to a person solely or mainly employed in agricultural, forestry or equestrian activities and his/her dependants.
Allocations: Land identified in the Local Plan (with or without planning permission) for a particular land use.
Ancient Woodland: Woodland of native trees and plants on a site which has been continuously wooded from 1600 AD to the present, and has only been cleared for underwood or timber production.
Area of Special Landscape Importance (ASLI): Locally designated areas of high landscape quality where the protection of the visual qualities of the landscape is sought.
Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB): Area of high landscape value of national importance within which the conservation and enhancement of natural beauty is the priority. A.O.N.B.s are designated by the Countryside Agency, under the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949.
Bad Neighbour Use: A use on a site which is 'non-conforming' i.e. its operation causes disruption to adjacent land-use and amenity (e.g. a scrapyard in a residential area).
Burgage Plot: Medieval plots characterised by narrow width and great length.
BBOWT: Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust.
Berkshire Structure Plan: Prepared by the Joint Strategic Planning Unit to provide a strategic policy framework for Local Plans and development control across the whole county.
British Waterways: A public body inter alia responsible for the management of the Kennet and Avon Canal.
Brownfield: Previously developed land is that which is or was occupied by a permanent structure (excluding agricultural or forestry buildings), and associated fixed surface infrastructure. 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 (a full definition can be found in Annex C of PPG3 Housing March 2000).
Commitments: Proposals for development which are the subject of a current full or outline planning permission, or unimplemented allocations in an existing Planning Policy or Statutory Local Plan.
Common Land: Land subject to rights of common and waste land of a manor not subject to rights of common, provided that no land capable of registration should be deemed to be common land unless it has been registered as such under the Commons Registration Act 1965.
Completions: Development which has been constructed or brought into use.
Conservation Area: An Area of Special Architectural of Historic Interest, the character or appearance of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance, as required by the 'Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990' (Sections 69 and 70). There are additional controls over certain works carried out within a Conservation Area. For example demolition within Conservation Areas requires consent.
Countryside Agency: A Government funded agency which provides advice on matters relating to the conservation of the countryside and its enjoyment by the public, and which provides grant aid for countryside initiatives.
Curtilage: The defined residential boundary of a dwelling, normally (but not necessarily) the domestic garden area.
Development: In the planning context this term means the carrying out of building, engineering, mining or other operations in, on, over or under land, or the making of any material change in the use of any buildings or other land (as defined in Section 55 of the Town and County Planning Act 1990).
Development Brief: A set of planning criteria to be adhered to in the development of certain sites. A development brief will normally be prepared where there are a number of complex or potentially conflicting issues. The local plan housing sites are an example of the above.
English Heritage: A Government funded organisation which promotes conservation and understanding of the historic environment. It advises the Government on the selection of listed buildings and scheduled ancient monuments for protection. It can provide grant aid for maintenance of historic buildings and monuments of national importance.
English Nature: Formerly the Nature Conservancy Council (NCC), an organisation which is funded by the Government. It is responsible for agreeing National and Local Nature Reserves, identifying Sites of Special Scientific Interest and proposed special areas of conservation for advising the Government on matters affecting nature conservation.
Environment Agency: The agency was set up in 1995 as a result of the environment act. It joined together the responsibilities previously held by the national rivers authority, Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Pollution and the Waste Regulation Authority.
Environmentally Sensitive Areas (ESA): The environmentally sensitive areas concept was established in 1987 to help assess the impact of less intensive farming on the countryside. The scheme is intended to help protect the wildlife, landscape and historic features within prescribed environmentally sensitive areas and to provide management advice and incentive payments as part of an ESA agreement.
Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group (FWAG): An independent countryside voluntary group, with charitable status, set up by farmers and landowners with the support of naturalists and others from the main farming, conservation and forestry bodies in order to provide advice on a range of wildlife conservation opportunities and farm management systems/techniques.
Gap: A strategic area of land which protects the separate identity of settlements.
General Permitted Development Order (GPDO): A set of Government regulations which provide a detailed list of the types of development which do not require planning permission. The latest version of this came into operation in 1995.
Housing Association: A non-profit making, independent organisation which may provide for a wide range of housing needs.
Infilling: Building on undeveloped land within the existing built-up area of a settlement, generally involving the closing of an existing small gap in an otherwise built-up frontage. Infill development will usually be of single plots, and must not harm the physical or visual character of the settlement or the surrounding area. To be acceptable for infilling, the plot concerned should be of a size and shape similar to the plots of the adjoining development, and should normally have an existing frontage to a suitable road.
Infrastructure: Structures and services which provide for the essential needs of development: can include transport systems, schools, open spaces etc.
Inset Map: Areas on the proposals map which are shown in greater detail at a larger scale.
Listed Buildings: Buildings and structures which have been identified by the Department of the Environment as being of special architectural and historic interest and whose protection and maintenance are the subject of special legislation. Their curtilage and setting is also protected. Listed Building Consent is required before any works are carried out on a listed building.
Local Plan Public Inquiry (LPI): A formal public inquiry held to enable the planning authority to have objections to the Local Plan examined by an Inspector appointed by the Secretary of State.
National Playing Fields Association (NPFA): An independent charity established to ensure that everyone has access to recreational space within easy reach of their homes. In pursuance of this objective, the Association campaigns for a minimum standard of provision (6 acres of open space per 1000 population).
National Rivers Authority (NRA):
see definition under Environment Agency.
Operational Parking: Where provision for parking on-site is for visitors and service vehicles only. Employee parking is provided off-site, normally in a public car park.
Parks and Gardens of Historic Interest: Parks and Gardens listed in a register prepared and maintained by English Heritage. Like listed buildings they are graded I, II* and II. By reason of their historic layout, features and architectural ornaments, the parks and gardens are considered to be of particular interest and quality.
Planning Appeal: If an application for planning permission has been refused, has not been decided within the statutory time limit or the local authority has imposed conditions, the applicant may appeal to the Secretary of State for the Environment. An Inspector will consider the appeal and a decision will be made on behalf of or by the Secretary of State.
Planning Permission: New buildings, major alterations and enlargement of existing buildings, and many changes of use of buildings and land require planning permission. Permission is sought from the local planning authority. An application for planning permission may be approved, subject to certain conditions, or refused. The applicant has the right to appeal to the Secretary of State against any refusal or condition.
Planning Policy Guidance Note (PPG): A series of Guidance Notes produced by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister covering a wide range of planning issues. PPG's advise on Government policy regarding various aspects of the planning system. They are reviewed from time to time.
Previously Developed Land: see definition under 'Brownfield”.
Primary Shopping Frontage: The principal/prime area of shopping in a village/town centre, where A1 uses predominate.
Redevelopment: The development of land involving the demolition or the adaptation of an existing building or set of buildings. Redevelopment must be of a scale and character such that it does not harm the physical or visual character of the settlement (or in the urban areas, the neighbourhood).
Renewable Energy: Continuous energy flows that occur naturally and repeatedly in the environment; e.g. wind power.
Ribbon Development: The construction of a line of buildings along a road frontage, usually extending outside a built-up area.
Rural Development Commission: A Government agency involved in the economic and social development of rural areas, encouraging local enterprise through the provision of premises, advice, training and loans.
Scheduled Ancient Monument (SAM): Features of archaeological or historic interest listed by the Department of Culture Media and Sport which are subject to the law intended to prevent them being damaged or destroyed. The regulations are similar to those applied to listed buildings but are administered by the Department of the Environment, rather than Local Authorities.
Setting: An area of land whose importance lies in maintaining a coherent landscape setting to settlements.
Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI): Defined protected areas of nature conservation and scientific value identified by English Nature as being of national (and sometimes international) importance.
Special Areas of Conservation (SACs): Designated to protect the habitats of threatened species of wildlife under EU Directive 92/43.
Sport England: formerly known as the Sports Council
Supplementary Planning Guidance: Guidance notes on specific planning issues in the District. These are non-statutory.
Town & Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 1987, as amended: A set of Government regulations which define categories for different uses of land and building. Within each class, the use for another purpose in the same class does not usually require planning permission. The categories, in brief, are:
A1 Shops
A2 Financial and professional services
A3 Food and drink
B1 Business, including offices, research and development premises and light industry
B2 General industrial
B8 Storage and distribution
C1 Hotels and hostels
C2 Residential institutions
C3 Dwelling houses
D1 Non-residential institutions
D2 Assembly and leisure
Tree: For planning and conservation purposes, the legislation covers those trees which are greater than 75 mm in diameter, at a point 1.5m above the ground. Cultivated fruit trees in a garden or orchard are not covered by the legislation.
Tree Preservation Orders: An order made by the Local Planning Authority under Sections 198-200 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, to protect a specific tree or group of trees against felling, lopping, topping or other damage. Trees within Conservation Areas have similar protection, except for fruit trees and trunks below a specified size.
Vernacular Architecture or Building: A style of building which is historically used as the normal design in a particular region or locality, employing the use of local building materials.
Wildlife Heritage Site: Designated sites of nature conservation value, varying in size across the District. These are non-statutory, and defined by the Berkshire Nature Conservation Forum.