Carmarthenshire Local Development Plan
8 Glossary of Terms
| Accessibility | The ability of people to move around an area and reach places and facilities, including elderly and disabled people, those with young children and those encumbered with luggage or shopping. |
| Affordable Housing | Housing provided to those whose needs are not met by the open market. Affordable housing should: • meet the needs of eligible households, including availability at low enough cost for them to afford, determined with regard to local incomes and local house prices; and • include provision for the home to remain affordable for future eligible households, or if a home ceases to be affordable or staircasing to full ownership takes place, any subsidy should generally be recycled to provide replacement affordable housing. This breaks down into two sub-categories: • social rented housing - provided by local authorities and registered social landlords where rent levels have regard to the Assembly Government’s guideline rents and benchmark rents; and • Intermediate housing - where prices or rents are above those of social rented housing but below market housing prices or rents. This can include equity sharing schemes (for example Homebuy). Intermediate housing differs from low cost market housing, which the Assembly Government does not consider to be affordable housing for the purpose of the land use planning system. (TAN 2: Glossary) |
| Allocation | Land proposed for a particular use and identified on the LDP proposals map. |
| 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. |
| Ancillary | Where the use of land or buildings differ from the primary use and is of a lesser importance and are permitted because of their association with the primary use. |
| Annual Monitoring Report (AMR) | This will assess the extent to which policies in the LDP are being successfully implemented (Regulation 37 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Development Plan0 (Wales) Regulations 2005. |
| Baseline/Pre Change Baseline | A description of the present state of an area against which to measure change. |
| Biodiversity | The variability among living organisms from all sources including animals, plants, birds, insects and fish, and the habitats of which they are part. |
| Character | A term relating to Conservation Areas or Listed Buildings, but also to the appearance of any rural or urban location in terms of its landscape or the layout of streets and open spaces, often giving places their own distinct identity. |
| Coalescence | The merging or joining up of two separate settlements or of separate elements of settlement. An undesirable consequence can be the loss of cultural and physical identity and character. |
| Completions | Planning consents for development which have been constructed or brought into operational use. |
| Commitments | Undeveloped land with current planning permission or land which is currently being developed. |
| Community | People living in a defined geographical area, or who share other common interests. |
| Community Involvement Scheme (CIS) | Sets out the project plan and policies of the authority for involving local communities, including businesses, in the preparation of the LDP. The CIS is submitted to the WG as part of the Delivery Agreement. |
| Conservation Areas | An area designated by the Local Planning Authority under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990, which is of special architectural or historic interest, the character or appearance of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance. |
| Contaminated Land | Land where there is a confirmed presence on site of substances which may constrain its re-use and development. |
| Controlled Waters |
Controlled waters include rivers, lakes, ponds, streams, canals, coastal waters, estuaries and groundwater. (Groundwaters are any water contained in underground strata, including soils). |
| Curtilage | The area normally within the boundaries of a property surrounding the main building and used in connection with it. |
| Delivery Agreement (DA) | A document comprising the LPA’s timetable for the preparation of the LDP together with its Community Involvement Scheme, submitted to the Assembly Government for agreement. |
| 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. |
| Deposit LDP | A formal stage of the plan making process during which time representations may be submitted in respect of its content. |
| Development | Development is defined in Section 55 of 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." Certain activities may be of such a limited significance that the relevant local planning authority determines that they don't constitute development (i.e. are de minimis). |
| Development Brief | Briefs are generally prepared to provide detailed guidance outlining the local planning authority’s requirements for the development of particular sites usually where there are complex issues to be resolved or where the sites are of a strategic nature. When prepared as SPG they will be subject to public consultation and therefore assume a similar status. |
| Development Limits | A line drawn in order to define the area of a settlement within which development is acceptable in principle subject to detailed consideration of environmental, amenity, access, public service provision and other considerations. However, this does not imply that the development of all open spaces and under-developed areas within the limits is acceptable. Areas outside the limits are regarded as the open countryside. |
| Directly Related | Sites which are physically, functionally and visually linked to a settlement. |
| Employment Land | Land used for the purposes of employment by one or more of the following: offices, manufacturing, research and development, storage and distribution (see also Use Classes) |
| Environmental Capacity Environmental Consultation Body | Environmental capacity refers to ‘the amount of development the environment can accommodate’ in defining this term reference is made to ‘living within environmental limits’ as referred to in national policy by ensuring that resources are not irrecoverably depleted or the environment irreversibly damaged. An authority with environmental responsibilities concerned by the effects of implementing plans and programmes and which must be consulted under the SEA Regulations; i.e. NRW and Cadw. |
| Evidence Base | Interpretation of Baseline or other information/data to provide the basis for plan policy. |
| 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. |
| Habitat | An area of nature conservation interest. |
| Implementation | To put into operation. |
| Indicator | A measure of variables over time, often used to a measure achievement of objectives. |
| Infill development | The development of a small gap between existing buildings. To qualify as infill, the proposed development must be related to the size and character of the particular settlement. |
| Infrastructure | Includes services such as roads, transport facilities, water supplies, sewerage and associated waste water treatment facilities, waste management facilities, energy supplies (electricity and gas) and distribution networks and telecommunications infrastructure. Soft infrastructure includes ICT and telecommunications. |
| Initial SA Report | A term used in LDP Wales to refer to the SA Report, produced at the Preferred Strategy stage. This assesses the LDP options against the SA framework. |
| Local Development Plan (LDP) | The required statutory development plan for each local planning authority area in Wales under Part 6 of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004. A land use plan that is subject to independent examination, which will form the statutory development plan for a local authority area for the purposes of the Act. It should include a vision, strategy, area-wide policies for development types, land allocations, and where necessary policies and proposals for key areas of change and protection. Policies and allocations must be shown geographically on the Proposals Map forming part of the plan. |
| Local Nature Reserve | An area designated for its importance in terms of local nature conservation. |
| Local Need | Defined as residents (and their dependents) of the community and town council area or adjoining community and town council area. Present residents whose circumstances may relate to current substandard or unsatisfactory accommodation or where they are forming a new family or leaving the parental home for the first time will be considered as will those who make a significant contribution to the social, cultural and economic vitality of the community and town council area.
In addition the definition will apply to those persons with a long standing link with the community and town council area including a period of established residence within the last twenty years. Those persons who have a proven functional need to live close to their place of work or to a resident through an essential need arising from age or infirmity may also be deemed eligible for consideration. |
| Local Planning Authority (LPA) | A planning authority responsible for the preparation of an LDP; i.e. County or Borough Council or National Park Authority. |
| Market Housing | Private housing for rent or sale where the price is set in the open market. (TAN2: Glossary) |
| Mitigation | Measures to avoid reduce or offset significant adverse effects. |
| Mixed Use | Developments or proposals comprising of more than one use type on a single site. |
| Monitoring | The use of information collected in reviewing and assessing the implementation of the LDP. |
| National Nature Reserve (NNR) | An area designated for its national importance in nature conservation terms and managed through joint nature reserve agreements with landowners etc, |
| Objective/Strategic Objective | A statement of what is intended, specifying the desired direction of change in trends. |
| Open Countryside | Any area lying beyond the development limit for a defined settlement. |
| 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. |
| Permitted Development | Categories of development which may be carried out without the need for planning permission as set out in the Town and Country Planning Act (General Permitted Development) Order 1995. |
| Planning Obligation | A legal agreement between an applicant and the local planning authority to ensure a development is carried out in a certain way. Also referred to as a Section 106 Agreement. |
| 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 Policy Wales (PPW) | Planning Policy Wales sets out the land use planning policies of the Welsh Assembly Government. It is supplemented by a series of Technical Advice Notes. Procedural advice is provided through circulars and policy clarification letters. |
| Playing Field | Land set out with a pitch or pitches for games. |
| Pre-deposit proposals documents | These include the vision, strategic options, preferred strategy, key policies, and the initial SA/SEA report. |
| Pre-deposit stage | In the LDP Manual, referred to as the Strategic Options and Preferred Strategy stage of LDP preparation. |
| Previously Developed Land | Land which is or was occupied by a permanent structure (excluding agricultural or forestry buildings) and associated fixed surface infrastructure. See also Definition of Previously Developed Land contained in PPW: Edition 7. |
| RAMSAR | A wetland site of international importance for nature conservation. Designation is enabled by the Ramsar Convention 1971 whereby participating European Governments undertake to protect such areas. |
| Renewable Energy | Sources of energy, other than fossil fuel or nuclear fuel, which are continuously and sustainably available in our environment including wind, water, solar and geothermal energy. |
| Ribbon Development | The linear extension of settlements, including frontage development along approach roads, resulting in the unnecessary intrusion of development into the countryside. Ribboning can also occur within settlements, can be detrimental to the urban form and character and can sterilise potential development land to the rear. |
| Rural exception site | Small scale housing site, within or adjoining existing rural settlements for the provision of affordable housing to meet local needs, which would not otherwise be allocated in the development plan. (TAN2: Glossary) |
| Scoping SA | The process of deciding the scope and level of detail of an SA, including the sustainability effects and options which need to be considered, the assessment methods to be used, and the structure and contents of the SA/SEA Report. |
| Search Sequence | In identifying residential allocations a search sequence starting with the re-use of previously developed land and building within settlements, then settlement extensions and then new development around settlements (with good transport links) should be followed. |
| Section 106 Agreement | See Planning Obligations. |
| Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) | Sites of Special Scientific Interest are notified by the Natural Resources Wales under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, to afford protection to flora, fauna and geological or physiographical features of special interest. |
| Site Specific Allocations | Allocations of sites (proposals) for specific or mixed uses or development contained in a development plan. Policies will identify any specific requirements for individual proposals. Allocations will be shown on the LDP’s proposals map. |
| Soundness | Considerations relating to procedure, consistency, coherence and effectiveness against which the LDP will be examined by an independent Planning Inspector. |
| Special Area of Conservation (SAC) | Sites of international conservation importance designated by the Welsh Ministers under the European Directive on the Conservation of Natural Habitats and Wild Flora and Fauna. In addition there are candidate SAC’s which should, as a matter of Government policy, be viewed as full SAC’s when examining land use impacts. |
| Special Protection Area (SPA) | Special Protection Areas For Wild Birds under The E.C. Council Directive On the Conservation of Wild Birds (79/4C9/EEC) provides for the protection, management and control of all species of naturally occurring wild birds. |
| Sporadic Development | Development that is scattered and not related to any settlement or groups of buildings. Sporadic development makes no contribution to the identity and character of its location by being isolated from built-up areas. |
| Stakeholders | Interests directly affected by the LDP (and/or SA/SEA) – involvement generally through representative bodies. |
| Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) | Generic term used internationally to describe environmental assessment as applied to policies, plans and programmes. The SEA Regulations require a formal “environmental assessment of certain plans and programmes, including those in the field of planning and land use”. |
| Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG) | Supplementary information in respect of the policies in an LDP. SPG does not form part of the development plan and is not subject to independent examination but must be consistent with it and with national planning policy. |
| Sustainability Appraisal (SA) | Tool for appraising policies and proposals to ensure they reflect sustainable development objectives (i.e. social, environmental and economic factors). Each LPA is required by S62(6) of the Act to undertake SA of the LDP. This form of SA fully incorporates the requirements of the SEA Directive. The term used in the LDP includes Strategic Environmental Assessment, unless otherwise made clear. |
| Sustainability Appraisal Report | A document required to be produced as part of the SA process to describe and appraise the likely significant effects on sustainability of implementing the LDP, which also meets the requirement for the Environmental Report under the SEA Regulations. S62(6) of the Act requires each LPA to prepare a report of the findings of the SA of the LDP. - The SA Report is first produced at the Preferred Strategy stage (called the Interim SA Report in LDP Wales), expanded at the Deposit LDP stage and finalised alongside the Adoption Statement. |
| Tandem Development | Consists of one house immediately behind another and sharing the same access. Such proposals may cause difficulties of access and disturbance and lack of privacy and should be avoided. |
| Technical Advice Notes (TAN) | A topic-based document published by the Welsh Assembly Government to supplement Planning Policy Wales. |
| Use Classes | The Use Classes Order (1987, as amended) includes the following: A1: Shops. A2: Financial and professional services. A3: Food and drink. B1: Offices (not those within Use Class A2), Research and development (products and processes) or any industrial process (a use that can be carried out in any residential area without detriment to the amenity of that area). B2: General industrial. B8: Storage and distribution. C1: Hotels, hostel, boarding and guest houses. C2: Residential Institutions, residential schools and colleges, Hospitals and nursing homes. C3: Dwellings. D1: Non Residential Institutions Places of worship, clinics, health centres, day nurseries, museums, public halls, libraries, non- residential education and training centres etc. D2: Cinemas, concert halls, dance hall, sports halls, gymnasiums, swimming baths, other indoor and outdoor sports and leisure uses. Sui Generis: Use that falls outside any Use Class and are therefore described as Sui generis (a class on their own) e.g., car show rooms, petrol filling stations etc. |
| Wales Spatial Plan (WSP) | A plan prepared and approved by the National Assembly for Wales under S60 of the Act, which sets out a strategic framework to guide future development and policy interventions, whether or not these relate to formal land use planning control. Under S62 (5) (b) of the Act a local planning authority must have regard to the WSP in preparing an LDP. |
| Windfall Sites | A site not specifically allocated for development which becomes available for development during the lifetime of a plan. |