Glossary of Terms

Additional modifications: Additional modifications (sometimes referred to as ‘minor modifications’) fall outside of the scope of the examination. They are modifications that do not materially affect a plan’s policies and are not required to make the plan sound or legally compliant. For example, these might include factual updating, clarification and corrections to grammar and presentation. As these modifications are beyond the scope of the examination, they will not be considered by the Inspectors, but the nine councils will consider comments received on them.
Adoption: The final confirmation of a development plan or Local Development Document status by a local planning authority (LPA).
Affordable Housing: Housing, whether for rent, shared ownership or outright purchase, provided at a cost considered affordable in relation to incomes that are average or below average, or in relation to the price of general market housing.
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: A positive element or elements that contribute to the overall character or enjoyment of an area. For example, open land, trees, historic buildings and the inter- relationship between them, or less tangible factors such
as tranquillity.
Annual average daily traffic (AADT): A measure used in transportation planning to quantify
how busy the road is.
Area Action Plan (AAP): A type of Development Plan Document focused upon a specific location or an area subject to conservation or significant change (for example major regeneration).
Article 4 Direction: Direction removing some or all permitted development rights, for example within a conservation area or curtilage of a listed building. Article 4 directions are issued by local planning authorities.
Authority Monitoring Report (AMR): A report by local planning authorities assessing progress of development plan document(s).
Bee Network: A proposition for Greater Manchester to have a fully integrated
transport network.
Biodiversity: The whole variety of life encompassing all genetics, species and ecosystem variations, including plans and animals.
Brownfield Land and Sites: Previously developed land which is or was occupied by a permanent structure, including the curtilage of the developed land and any associated fixed surface infrastructure. Also see 'Previously‐Developed Land'.
Bus Rapid Transit (BRT): A bus-based public transport system designed to improve capacity and reliability relative to a conventional bus system. Typically, a BRT system includes roadways that are dedicated to buses, and gives priority to buses at junctions where buses may interact with other traffic.
Change of Use: A change in the way that land or buildings are used (see Use Classes Order). Planning permission is usually necessary in order to change from one 'use class' to another.
Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO): An order issued by the government or a local authority to acquire land or buildings for public interest purposes. For example, for the construction of a major road or the redevelopment of certain brownfield sites.
Conservation Area: Areas of special architectural or historic interest, the character or appearance of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance.
Core Strategy (CS): A Development Plan Document setting out the spatial vision and strategic objectives of the planning framework for an area, having regard to the Community Strategy (see also DPDs).
Density: In the case of residential development, a measurement of either the number of habitable rooms per hectare or the number of dwellings per hectare.
Design Code: A set of illustrated design rules and requirements which instruct and may advise on the physical development of a site or area. The graphic and written components of the code are detailed and precise, and build upon a design vision such as a masterplan or other design and development framework for a site or area.
Design Statement: A design statement can be made at a preplanning application stage by a developer, indicating the design principles upon which a proposal is to be based. It may also be submitted in support of a planning application.
Detailed Application / Full application: A planning application seeking full permission for a development proposal, with no matters reserved for later planning approval.
Development: Development is defined under the 1990 Town and Country Planning Act as "the carrying out of building, engineering, mining or other operation in, on, over or under land, or the making of any material change in the use of any building or other land." Most forms of development require planning permission (see also "permitted development").
Development Plan: A document setting out the local planning authority's policies and proposals for the development and use of land and buildings in the authority's area. It includes Unitary, Structure, and Local Plans prepared under transitional arrangements.
Development Plan Documents (DPDs): Development Plan Documents are prepared by local planning authorities and outline the key development goals of the local development framework.
Development Plan Documents: include the core strategy, site‐specific allocations of land and, where needed, area action plans. All DPDs must be subject to rigorous procedures of community involvement, consultation and independent examination, and adopted after receipt of the inspector's report. Once adopted, development control decisions must be made in accordance with them unless material considerations indicate otherwise.
Duty to Co-operate (DTC): The Duty to Co-operate places a legal duty on local planning authorities, county councils in England and public bodies to engage constructively, actively and on an ongoing basis to maximise the effectiveness of Local Plan preparation in the context of strategic cross boundary matters.
Dwelling: A self‐contained building or part of a building used as a residential accommodation, and usually housing a single household. A dwelling may be a house, bungalow, flat, maisonette or converted farm building.
Environment Agency: A government body that aims to prevent or minimise the effects of pollution on the environment and issues permits to monitor and control activities that handle or produce waste. It also provides up‐to‐date information on waste management matters and deals with other matters such as water issues including flood protection advice.
Examination in Public: The examination is the final stage in the plan making process. Once the plan has been submitted, the Inspector will take control of the examination process from start to finish. The Inspector’s role is to examine whether the submitted plan meets the tests of soundness defined in the NPPF (See paragraph 35 of the NPPF) and meets all the relevant legislative requirements, including the duty to co-operate. The Inspector’s conclusions will be based on a consideration of all the evidence and on the application of professional expertise and judgment.
Existing Land Supply: These are sites that have been identified by each local planning authority as available for development.
Flood plain: Generally low‐lying areas adjacent to a watercourse, tidal lengths of a river or the sea, where water flows in times of flood or would flow but for the presence of flood defences.
Flood Risk Assessment: An assessment of the likelihood of flooding in a particular area so that development needs and mitigation measures can be carefully considered.
Fossil Fuels (a non‐ renewable fuel): Carbon‐rich fuel (coal, oil and natural gas) formed from the remains of ancient animals and plants. Their combustion is considered to contribute to the 'greenhouse effect'.
Geographic Information System (GIS): A computer‐based system whereby mapping and information are linked for a variety of uses, such as capturing data justifying development plans.
Greater Manchester Variable Demand Model (GMVDM): The multi-modal transport model for Greater Manchester. This transport model provides estimates of future year transport demand as well as the estimates of travel behaviour changes and new patterns that the Plan is likely to produce. These include changes in choices of routes, travel mode, time of travel and changes in journey destinations for some activities such as work and shopping.
Green Belt: A designation for land around certain cities and large built‐up areas, which aims to keep this land permanently open or largely undeveloped. Green Belts are defined in a local planning authority's development plan. The purpose of the Green Belt is to:
- check the unrestricted sprawl of large built up areas
- prevent neighbouring towns from merging
- safeguard the countryside from encroachment
- preserve the setting and special character of historic towns
- assist urban regeneration by encouraging the recycling of derelict and other urban land
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.
Greenfield Land or Site: Land (or a defined site), that has not previously been developed.
Greenhouse Gases: Naturally occurring examples include water vapour, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and ozone. Some human activities increase these gases, including fossil fuel combustion within motor vehicles and some power stations.
Geodiversity: The range of rocks, minerals, fossils, soils and landforms.
Groundwater: An important part of the natural water cycle present underground, within strata known as aquifers.
Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA): A Habitats Regulations Assessment refers to the several distinct stages of Assessment which must be undertaken in accordance with the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017 (as amended) and the Conservation of Offshore Marine Habitats and Species Regulations 2017 (as amended) to determine if a plan or project may affect the protected features of a habitats site before deciding whether to undertake, permit or authorise it.
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).
National Highways: An executive agency of the Department of Transport. National Highways is responsible for operating, maintaining and improving the strategic road network of England.
Historic England: National advisors with responsibility for all aspects of protecting and promoting the historic environment.
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.
Homes England: Homes England is the non-departmental public body that funds new affordable housing in England.
Housing Land: Availability (HLA) The total amount of land reserved for residential use
awaiting development.
Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD): The English indices of deprivation measure relative deprivation in small areas in England called lower-layer super output areas.
Infrastructure: Basic services necessary for development to take place, for example, roads, electricity, sewerage, water, education and health facilities.
Key diagram: The diagrammatic interpretation of the spatial strategy.
Landscape Appraisal: A method of assessing appearance and essential characteristics of a landscape.
Landscape Character: The distinct and recognisable pattern of elements that occur consistently in a particular type of landscape. It reflects particular combinations of geology, landform, soils, vegetation, land use and human settlement.
Local Development Documents (LDDs): These include Development Plan Documents
(which form part of the statutory development plan) and Supplementary Planning Documents (which do not form part of the statutory development plan). LDDs collectively deliver the spatial planning strategy for the local planning authority's area.
Local Development Scheme (LDS): The local planning authority's time‐scaled programme for the preparation of Local Development Documents that must be agreed with government and reviewed every year.
Local Housing Need (LHN): The number of homes identified as being needed through the application of the standard method set out in national planning guidance. The standard method uses a formula to identify the minimum number of homes expected to be planned for, in a way which addresses projected household growth and historic under-supply. The standard method identifies a minimum annual housing need figure. It does not produce a housing requirement figure.
Local Industrial Strategy (LIS): Local industrial strategies promote the coordination of local economic policy and national funding streams and establish new ways of working between national and local government, and the public and private sectors.
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.
Local Plan: The Local Plan guides decisions on future development proposals and addresses the needs and opportunities of the area. Topics that Local Plans usually cover include housing, employment and shops and they also identify where development should take place and areas where development should be restricted.
Local Planning Authority (LPA): The local authority or council that is empowered by law to exercise planning functions.
Local Road Network (LRN): The Strategic Road Network comprises motorways and trunk roads, the most significant ‘A’ roads. All other roads comprise the Local Road Network. The LRN is managed by the local highways authorities.
Main modifications: Main modifications are those modifications that the Inspectors consider are necessary to make the plan sound and/or legally compliant. All proposed main modifications must be subject to public consultation before the Inspector can make final recommendations on them.
Master Plan: A type of planning brief outlining the preferred usage of land and the overall approach to the layout of a developer. To provide detailed guidance for subsequent planning applications.
Minerals Plan: A statutory development plan prepared by a minerals planning authority, setting out policies for the control of development constituting of the winning and working of minerals or the deposit of mineral waste.
Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC): The Department sets policy on supporting local government; communities and neighbourhoods; regeneration; housing; planning, building and the environment; and fire and rescue. It has an important role in supporting local development and promoting economic growth.
National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF): National Planning Policy Framework sets out government's planning policies for England and how these are expected to be applied.
National Trip End Model (NTEM): A Department for Transport forecast that ensures that measures of population, jobs and trips made by various mode are consistent across the whole of Great Britain.
Natural England : Natural England is the Government's statutory adviser on landscape in England, with responsibility for landscape designations such as National Parks, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and Heritage Coasts. Natural England is also concerned with England's future landscapes, with involvement in planning policy and a range of environmental land management projects.
Nature Conservation: The protection, management and promotion of wildlife habitat for the benefit of wild species, as well as the communities that use and enjoy them.
Neighbourhood Plans: A plan prepared by a Parish Council or Neighbourhood Forum for a particular neighbourhood area.
Noise exposure category (NEC): In terms of planning guidance, when assessing a proposal for residential development near to a source of noise, planning authorities use noise exposure categories to help consider the effects.
Non‐Fossil Fuels: Sources of energy not derived from the combustion of fossil fuels. Examples include renewable energy resources such as wind or hydroelectric (water) power.
Open Space: All space of public value, including public landscaped areas, playing fields, parks and play areas, and also including not just land, but also areas of water such as rivers, canals, lakes and reservoirs, which can offer opportunities for sport and recreation or can also act as a visual amenity and a haven for wildlife.
Phasing or Phased Development: The phasing of development into manageable parts. For example, an annual rate of housing release for a large development that may need to be controlled so as to avoid destabilising housing markets and causing low demand.
Planning Condition: Requirements attached to a planning permission to limit, control or direct the manner in which a development is carried out.
Planning Inspectorate: The Planning Inspectorate is the government body responsible for, inter alia, examinations of development plan documents.
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. Sometimes called "Section 106" agreements.
Planning Permission: Formal approval sought from a council, often granted with conditions, allowing a proposed development to proceed. Permission may be sought in principle through outline planning applications, or be sought in detail through full planning applications.
Planning Practice Guidance (NPPG): Planning practice guidance is regularly updated by Government. It sets out guidance in relation to the government’s planning policies for England and how these are expected to be applied.
Policies Map: The role of the policies map is to illustrate geographically the application of policies in the plan.
Previously Developed Land (PDL) or 'Brownfield' land: 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 covers the curtilage of the development.
Programme Officer: When a plan is submitted the LPA must appoint a Programme Officer to assist in the organisation and administration of the examination. The Programme Officer works for the Inspector and provides a channel for all communications between the Inspector and the LPA and other participants.
Public Open Space: Urban space, designated by a council, where public access may or may not be formally established, but which fulfils or can fulfil a recreational or non‐recreational role (for example, amenity, ecological, educational, social or cultural usages).
Public Right of Way: A public right of way is a highway over which the public have a right of access along the route.
Ramsar Sites: Wetlands of international importance, designated under the 1971 Ramsar Convention.
Rapid transit services: Refers to high frequency, high capacity metro style transport services including Metrolink and Bus Rapid Transit.
Regeneration: The economic, social and environmental renewal and improvement of rural and urban areas.
Regional Flood and Coastal Committee (RFCC): There are 12 regional flood and coastal committees (RFCCs). RFCCs play an important role in helping to protect communities from flooding and coastal erosion. They help the Environment Agency and partners to understand local issues better, and to balance local and national priorities.
Registered Providers (RP): Technical name for a housing association. They own or manage affordable homes, both social rented and intermediate.
Regulation 18: The Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012. The "pre‐submission" consultation stages on Development Plan Documents with the objective of gaining public consensus over proposals ahead of submission to government for independent examination.
Regulation 19: The Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012. The stage for publication of a local plan from The Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012.
Regulation 22: The Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012: The point at which a Development Plan Document is submitted to the Secretary of State for independent examination by a government-appointed planning inspector, from The Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012.
Renewable Energy: Renewable energy is energy flows that occur naturally and repeatedly in the environment, for example from the wind, water flow, tides or the sun.
Section 106 Agreement: A legal agreement under section 106 of the 1990 Town & Country Planning Act. Section 106 agreements are legal agreements between a planning authority and a developer, or undertakings offered unilaterally by a developer, that ensure that certain extra works related to a development are undertaken.
Special Areas of Conservation (SAC): Areas given special protection under the European Union’s Habitats Directive, which is transposed into UK law by the Habitats and Conservation of Species Regulations 2010.
Sites of Biological Importance (SBI): Locally important sites of nature conservation adopted by local authorities to protect locally valued sites of biological diversity which are described generally as Local Wildlife Sites by the UK Government.
Special Protection Areas (SPA): Areas which have been identified as being of international importance for the breeding, feeding, wintering or the migration of rare and vulnerable species of birds found within European Union countries. They are European designated sites, classified under the Birds Directive.
Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI): A site identified under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended by the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000) as an area of special interest by reason of any of its flora, fauna, geological or physiographical features (basically, plants, animals, and natural features relating to the Earth's structure).
Small site allowance (Windfall Site): A site not specifically allocated for development in a development plan, but which unexpectedly becomes available for development during the lifetime of a plan. Most "windfalls" are referred to in a housing context. They tend to be very small sites for one or a small number of homes.
Soundness: The term 'sound' is used to describe a Local Plan that has been prepared in accordance with what Government expects of local planning authorities. These expectations are set out in paragraph 35 of the National Planning Policy Framework as follows:
- Positively prepared - the plan should be prepared based on a strategy which seeks to meet objectively assessed development and infrastructure requirements, including unmet requirements from neighbouring authorities where it is reasonable to do so and consistent with achieving sustainable development.
- Justified - the plan should be an appropriate strategy, when considered against the reasonable alternatives, based on proportionate evidence.
- Effective - the plan should be deliverable over its period and based on effective joint working on cross-boundary strategic priorities
- Consistent with national policy - the plan should enable the delivery of sustainable development in accordance with the policies within the National Planning Policy Framework.
Spatial Planning: Spatial planning goes beyond traditional land use planning to bring together and integrate policies for the development and use of land with other policies and programmes which influence the nature of places and how they function. This will include policies which can impact on land use by influencing the demands on, or needs for, development, but which are not capable of being delivered solely or mainly through the granting or refusal of planning permission and which may be implemented by other means.
Statement of Community Involvement (SCI): The Statement of Community Involvement sets out the processes to be used by the local authority in involving the community in the preparation, alteration and continuing review of all local development documents and development management decisions.
Statutory: Required by law (statute), usually through an Act of Parliament.
Statutory Body: A government‐appointed body set up to give advice and be consulted for comment upon development plans and planning applications affecting matters of public interest. Examples of statutory bodies include: Historic England, Natural England, Environment Agency, Health & Safety Executive, and Sport England.
Statutory Undertakers / Statutory Utilities: Bodies carrying out functions of a public character under a statutory power. They may either be in public or private ownership such as Post Office, Civil Aviation Authority, the Environment Agency or any water undertaker, any public gas transporters, supply of electricity etc.
Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA): An environmental assessment of certain plans and programmes, including those in the field of planning and land use, which complies with the EU Directive 2001/42/EC. The environmental assessment involves the:
- preparation of an environmental report
- carrying out of consultations
- taking into account of the environmental report and the results of the consultations in decision making
- provision of information when the plan or programme is adopted
- showing that the results of the environment
- assessment have been taken into account
Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA): Studies undertaken to establish how much additional housing can be accommodated within the districts.
Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SHMA): A Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SHMA) is an assessment of future housing requirements in an area, which informs strategy and housing targets.
Strategic Road Network (SRN): The Strategic Road Network comprises motorways and trunk roads, the most significant ‘A’ roads. The SRN is managed by National Highways.
Sui‐Generis: A term given to the uses of land or buildings, not falling into any of the use classes identified by the Use Classes Order.
Supplementary Planning Document (SPD): A Supplementary Planning Document is a Local Development Document that may cover a range of issues, thematic or site specific, and provides further detail of policies and proposals in a 'parent' Development Plan Document.
Sustainability Appraisal (including Environmental Appraisal): An appraisal of the economic, environmental and social effects of a plan from the outset of the preparation process to allow decisions to be made that accord with sustainable development.
Sustainable Development: A widely used definition drawn up by the World Commission on Environment and Development in 1987: "Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." In 1999, the government set out four aims for sustainable development in its strategy A Better Quality of Life, a Strategy for Sustainable Development in the UK. The four aims, to be achieved simultaneously, are:
- social progress which recognises the needs of everyone
- effective protection of the environment
- prudent use of natural resources
- maintenance of high and stable levels of economic growth and employment.
Sustainable travel / sustainable transport: Often meaning walking, cycling and public use of transport (and in some circumstances "car sharing"), which is considered to be less damaging to the environment and which contributes less to traffic congestion than one‐person car journeys.
Transport Assessment (TA): An assessment of the availability of, and levels of access to, all forms of transportation.
Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM): The Passenger Transport Executive for Greater Manchester.
Travel Plan: A travel plan aims to promote sustainable travel choices (for example, cycling) as an alternative to single occupancy car journeys that may impact negatively on the environment, congestion and road safety. Travel plans can be required when granting planning permission for new developments.
Tree Preservation Order (TPO): A mechanism for securing the preservation of single or groups of trees of acknowledged amenity value. A tree subject to a tree preservation order may not normally be topped, lopped or felled without the consent of the local planning authority.
Urban Traffic Control (UTC): A specialist form of traffic management that, by
coordinating traffic signals in a centralised location, minimises the impact of stop times on the road user.
Use Classes Order: The Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 1987 (as amended) essentially categorises different types of property and land into classes. Change between uses within the same class does not constitute development and therefore does not require planning permission.
Viability Assessment: Viability assessment is a process of assessing whether a site is financially viable, by looking at whether the value generated by a development is more than the cost of developing it. This includes looking at the key elements of gross development value, costs, land value, landowner premium, and developer return.
Waste Local Plan: A statutory development plan prepared by the waste planning authority, setting out polices in relation to waste management and related developments.
Wildlife Corridor: Strips of land (for example, along a hedgerow) conserved and managed for wildlife, usually linking more extensive wildlife habitats.
Written representations: A procedure by which representations on planning appeals, development plans and Development Plan Documents can be dealt with without the need for a full public inquiry or informal hearing.
5 Year Transport Delivery Plan: A five‐year integrated transport strategy, prepared by local authorities in partnership with the community, seeking funding to help provide local transport projects. The plan sets out the resources predicted for delivery of the targets identified in the strategy.