Planning for Rutland’s Future - Issues and Options Consultation

Term

Description

Adoption

The point at which the final version of a Plan document is formally agreed and comes into use by the Council for planning purposes. At that point the Plan document becomes part of the statutory development plan for the local planning authority area.

Affordable Housing

Housing that is made available to households who cannot afford to access housing (either for rent shared ownership or immediate sale) on the open market. Currently defined by Annex 2 of the National Planning Policy Framework. Housing is made available 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.

Allocated Land

Land identified in a development plan as appropriate for a specific land use.

Authority Monitoring Report (AMR)

Is a document produced on an annual basis to report on the progress in the preparation of Local Plan Documents and how successful the implementation of policies has been.

Biodiversity

The whole variety of life on earth. It includes all species of plants and animals and the ecosystems and habitats they are part of.

Biodiversity Net Gain

Biodiversity net gain is an approach which aims to leave the natural environment in a measurably better state than beforehand.

Biodiversity net gain requirement for new development seeking planning permission, has been introduced by the Environment Act 2021

Brownfield Land (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 curtilage should be developed) and any associated fixed surface infrastructure. This excludes: land that is or was last occupied by agriculture or forestry buildings; land that has been developed for minerals extraction or waste disposal by landfill, where provision for restoration has been made through development management procedures; land in built-up areas such as 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.

Carbon Footprint

A carbon footprint is the total amount of greenhouse gases (including carbon dioxide and methane) that are generated by our actions.

Carbon Neutral

Carbon neutrality refers to achieving net-zero carbon dioxide emissions. This can be done by balancing omissions of carbon dioxide with its removal (often through carbon offsetting) or by eliminating emissions from society. In October 2019, the Council approved a motion with respect to climate change. Among the measures put forward as part of Rutland County Council's Climate Change Action Motion is the commitment to ensure the Council's activities achieve a net-zero carbon footprint before 2050.

Carbon Offsetting

A carbon offset is a reduction in emissions of carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gases made in order to compensate for emissions made elsewhere. Offsets are measured in tonnes of carbon dioxide-equivalent

Communities

A group of social interacting people. This interaction may be due to the close proximity of where people live (i.e. within neighbourhoods) or groups of people that have similar characteristics or interests.

Conservation Areas

Areas of special architectural or historic interest, the character and appearance of which is desirable to preserve or enhance.

Core Strategy

This is a document that sets out strategic policies within the Local Plan process, setting out guidance on future development requirements and policy issues. Rutland County Council adopted their Core Strategy in July 2011.

Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP)

A body designated by the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), established for the purpose of creating or improving conditions for economic growth in an area. Local Enterprise Partnerships produce Local Industrial Strategies for their areas.

Design Code

A set of illustrated design requirements that provide specific, detailed parameters for the physical development of a site or area. The graphic and written components of the code should build upon a design vision, such as a masterplan or other design and development framework for a site or area.

Development Plan

Is defined in Section 38 of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004, and includes adopted local plans, neighbourhood plans that have been made, and published spatial development strategies, together with any regional strategy policies that remain in force. Neighbourhood plans that have been approved at referendum are also part of the development plan, unless the local planning authority decides that the neighbourhood plan should not be made.

Development Plan Documents (DPD)

These are key planning documents prepared by the Council. They are subject to public consultation and public examination. The DPD for Rutland are Core Strategy Development Plan Document (DPD), the Site Allocations and Policies Development Plan Document (DPD) and the Minerals Core Strategy and Development Control Policies Development Plan Document (DPD).

Developable

To be considered developable, sites should be in a suitable location for housing development with a reasonable prospect that they will be available and could be viably developed at the point envisaged.

Employment Land Review

Employment Land Reviews (ELRs) are prepared to assess the likely demand for, and supply of, land for employment uses. They are used to make assessments of land currently in use for employment purposes, land currently allocated for employment purposes; and land with the potential to be suitable for employment purposes.

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

Land that has not been previously developed, characterised by urban and suburban green spaces, open countryside and agricultural land.

Habitats Regulation Assessment (HRA)

Assesses the impact of plans or projects on Natura 2000 sites (these are Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) and Special Protection Areas (SPA)). National guidance recommends that Ramsar sites and candidate SPAs and SACs are also afforded the same protection through the Habitats Regulation Assessment process.

Health Impact Assessment (HIA)

Health Impact Assessment (HIA) is a tool to identify and optimise the health and wellbeing impacts of planning. A health impact assessment (HIA) helps ensure that health and wellbeing are being properly considered in planning policies and proposals.

The use of an HIA is not a legal or policy requirement.

The key policy lever for HIA use comes from the Planning Practice Guidance (PPG) in which it states an HIA is "a useful tool to use where there are expected to be significant impacts".

Local Green Space (LGS)

The designation of land as Local Green Space (LGS) through local and neighbourhood plans allows communities to protect and identify green areas of particular importance to them. Refer to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) February 2019. Paragraphs 100 to 103.

Local Plan

A document used to plan for the future development of a local area, drawn up by the local planning authority in consultation with the community. A Local Plan can consist of either strategic or non-strategic policies, or a combination of the two. Rutland County Council is the planning authority. The Local Plan comprises three documents:

• Core Strategy Development Plan Document (DPD)
• Site Allocations and Policies Development Plan Document (DPD)
• Minerals Core Strategy and Development Control Policies Development Plan Document (DPD)

The Local Plan also includes the 'made' neighbourhood plans in Rutland.

All Local Plan documents 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 management decisions on planning applications must be made in accordance with them unless material considerations indicate otherwise.

Local Planning Authority (LPA)

The local authority or Council that is empowered by law to exercise planning functions. County Councils are the authority for waste and minerals matters.

Local Service Centres (LSC)

Local Service centres are listed in the current Local Plan's Core Strategy Policy CS3 which sets out the settlement hierarchy. The local service centres are the focus for small scale level of development outside the two towns reflecting the range of facilities and access to public transport available and their role as serving surrounding minor settlements.

Municipal Waste

Municipal waste is also referred to as Local Authority Collected Waste (LACW), and generally consists of household waste and any other wastes collected from Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs)^[1][1], commercial or industrial premises, and waste resulting from the clearance of fly-tipped materials and litter. Household waste makes up the majority of municipal waste; this is over 95% for Rutland.

[2][1] Also referred to as Civic Amenity (CA) sites.

National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF)

A document that has been prepared by Central Government and which sets out the Government's planning policies for England and how these should be applied. It provided a framework within which locally prepared plans for housing and other development can be produced. The NPPF must be considered in preparing the development plan (Local Plan) and is a material consideration in planning decisions on planning applications.

National Planning Practice Guidance (NPPG)

A document prepared and published by Central Government that provides guidance to supplement the content of the National Planning Policy Framework.

Neighbourhood Development Plan/Neighbourhood Planning

Neighbourhood development plans can be prepared by local communities, in particular parish councils, which can promote developments and have a greater say on where development should be located in their communities. In law this is described as a neighbourhood development plan in the Planning and Compulsory Planning Act 2004.

Non- Strategic Policies

Policies contained in a neighbourhood plan, or those policies in a local plan that are not strategic policies. See also 'Strategic Policies'.

Objective

A statement of what is intended, specifying the desired direction of change in trends.

Planning Obligations

Planning obligations are legal obligations entered into to mitigate the impacts of a development proposal. This can be via a planning agreement entered into under section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 by a person with an interest in the land and the local planning authority; or via a unilateral undertaking entered into by a person with an interest in the land without the local planning authority.

Planning obligations run with the land, are legally binding and enforceable. A unilateral undertaking cannot bind the local planning authority because they are not party to it.

Planning obligations are also commonly referred to as 'section 106', 's106', as well as 'developer contributions' when considered alongside highways contributions and the Community Infrastructure Levy.

Policies Map (Local Plan)

Accompanying the Local Plan written documents is an adopted policies map. This illustrates the extent of the area on the ground that the various policies cover. The policies map must be prepared and maintained to accompany all Local Plans.

Ramsar Sites

Ramsar sites are wetlands of international importance that have been designated under the 1971 Ramsar Convention on Wetlands for containing representative rare or unique wetland types or for their importance in conserving biological diversity.

Self-build and custom housebuilding

This covers a wide spectrum, from projects where individuals are involved in building or managing the construction of their home from beginning to end, to projects where individuals commission their home, making key design and layout decisions, but the home is built ready for occupation ('turnkey').

The Self-build and Custom Housebuilding Act 2015 (as amended by the Housing and Planning Act 2016) provides a legal definition of self-build and custom housebuilding. The Act does not distinguish between self-build and custom housebuilding and provides that both are where an individual, an association of individuals, or persons working with or for individuals or associations of individuals, build or complete houses to be occupied as homes by those individuals.

Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)

These are sites that have been recognised for the importance of either their biological, geological or landscape value. A site identified under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended by the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000).

Special Area of Conservation (SAC)

Areas designated under the European Habitat Directive. They provide increased protection for a variety of wild animals, plants and animals and are a vital part of the global effort to conserve world biodiversity.

Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SHMA)

A study intended to review the existing housing market in the area, consider the nature of future need for market and affordable housing and to inform the development of planning policy. The last SHMA was undertaken for Rutland in July 2019 and was updated in February 2020.

Statutory bodies

These are bodies that must be consulted on Local Plans and planning applications.

Special Protection Area (SPA)

An area containing an assemblage of breeding populations of rare birds at a level of European significance, designated under EC Directive 79/409.

Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (SFRA)

An assessment that sets out the risks from flooding within the district on a water catchment wide basis, whether from rivers, the coast or from other water sources. The assessment will be used to ensure that development proposals are fully aware of flood risk issues in a locality.

Strategic Housing and Economic Land Availability Assessment (SHELAA)

Previously known as a Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA), the assessment was last carried out for the Local Plan and published in 2019. The assessment now incorporates employment land and has been renamed the Strategic Housing and Economic Land Availability Assessment (SHELAA). This provides an audit of land that is potentially suitable, available and achievable for housing and employment over the Local Plan period.

Strategic Policies

Policies and site allocations which address strategic priorities in line with the requirements of Section 19 (1B-E) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2024. The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) 2021, Paragraph 20, advises that strategic planning policies make sufficient provision for: housing (including affordable housing), employment, retail, leisure and other commercial development. Infrastructure for transport, telecommunications, security, waste management, water supply, wastewater, flood risk and coastal change management and the provision of minerals and energy (including heat), community facilities (such as health, education and cultural infrastructure) and conservation and enhancement of the natural, built and historic environment, including landscapes and green infrastructure and planning measures to address climate change mitigation and adaptation.

Supplementary Planning Documents (SPD)

A document that may cover a range of issues, thematic or site specific and provide further detail about policies and proposals in a 'parent' Local Plan. Supplementary planning documents are capable of being a material consideration in planning decisions but are not part of the development plan.

Sustainability Appraisal (SA)

The Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 requires Local Development Documents to be prepared with a view to contributing to the achievement of sustainable development. Sustainability Appraisal is a systematic appraisal process used to access the social, environmental and economic effects of strategies and policies from the outset of the preparation process. The SA process ensures that decisions are made in accordance with the principles of sustainable development.

Sustainable Development

In broad terms this means development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. The Government have set five guiding principles for sustainable development in its strategy 'Securing the Future – UK Government Strategy for Sustainable Development'. The five guiding principles include: living within sustainable limits; ensuring a strong, healthy and just society; achieving a sustainable economy; promoting good governance; and using sound science responsibly.

Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDs)

Drainage systems that are designed to reduce the potential impact of new and existing developments with respect to surface water drainage discharges. A SuDs is dependent on site specific constraints and applies to a broad range of drainage solutions that seek to manage rainfall close to where it falls. SuDs can be designed to transport, attenuate, infiltrate, evaporate and cleanse water.

Sustainable Growth

This refers to strategic growth that can either be accommodated within the capacity of existing infrastructure or includes proposals that will meet any potential gaps in infrastructure capacity. It also refers to the growth of settlements that is in proportion to the settlement size and character

Windfall sites

Sites not specifically identified in the Local Plan.