Local development planning guidance

Annex F: Glossary and acronyms

Glossary of Development Planning terms.

The NPF4 Glossary provides a companion glossary of terms.

The Act

The Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997, as amended by the Planning (Scotland) Act 2019

Adoption /adopted

Adoption or constitution of a LDP by a planning authority. From this point it becomes part of the statutory development plan for the area.

Appointed person (reporter)

A person appointed by the Scottish Ministers to carry out the assessment of the Evidence Report or the Examination. These will usually be a reporter from the Planning and Environmental Appeals Division (the DPEA) of the Scottish Government.

Appropriate assessment (AA)

Regulation 48 of The Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Regulations 1994, as amended, requires an authority, before deciding to undertake, or give any consent, permission or other authorisation for certain plans or projects likely to have a significant effect on a European site in Great Britain (either alone or in combination with other plans or projects), to make an 'appropriate assessment' of the implications for the site in view of that site's conservation objectives.

Assessment of Evidence Report

See Gate Check below.

Assessment report

A report prepared by the person appointed by the Scottish Ministers to consider the Evidence Report where they are not satisfied that there is sufficient information in the Evidence Report. The Assessment Report is to set out their reasons for not being so satisfied and recommendations for improving the Evidence Report.

Buildings at risk register

The Buildings at Risk Register (BARR) for Scotland has been in operation since 1990 and highlights properties of architectural or historic merit that are considered to be at risk. Buildings at risk are not necessarily in poor condition, they may simply be standing empty with no clear future use or threatened with demolition.

Call for ideas

Optional consultation phase to inform to the proposed plan. It provides an opportunity for stakeholders including; landowners, developers and communities, to put forward ideas or sites they would like to be considered by the planning authority for inclusion in the LDP.

Community planning partnerships (CPP)

A Community Planning Partnership is the name given to all those services that come together to take part in community planning. Local public services such as councils, NHS boards, police and fire services, and other public bodies are partners in the CPP. There are 32 CPPs across Scotland, one for each council area. Each CPP focuses on where partners' collective efforts and resources can add the most value to their local communities, and improve the way that local services are planned, co-ordinated and carried out, with particular emphasis on reducing inequality.

Community wealth building

A people-centred approach to local economic development, which redirects wealth back into the local economy, and places control and benefits into the hands of local people.

Delivery Programme

A document, approved by full council, which sets out how the LDP will be delivered.

Development plan

The statutory basis of planning decision making, comprising NPF4 and the LDP.

Development plan scheme (DPS)

A document setting out the planning authority's programme for preparing and reviewing their LDPs. It is a statutory document and communications tool that lets stakeholders know when and how they can get involved in the plan and keep them informed of progress. It must contain a Participation Statement (see below).

Emissions sinks

Interventions such as carbon rich soils and biomass such as trees and grassland which can absorb carbon.

Evidence Report

A supporting document to the LDP. An Evidence Report summarises the evidence base for those proposals and policies set out in the development plan and demonstrates that appropriate consultation has been undertaken and regard given to the views of the community.

Examination

The Examination is the opportunity for independent consideration, by an appointed person, of any issues raised during the formal consultation on the Proposed Plan that have not been resolved through modifications.

Examination Report

A report prepared by the appointed person, following their completion of the Examination. It sets out and gives reasons for their conclusions and recommendations, including any to modify the proposed LDP.

Fairer Scotland Duty

The duty on public bodies in Scotland, including councils, from to actively consider how they can reduce inequalities of outcome caused by socio-economic disadvantage when making strategic decisions. It is a requirement of the Equality Act 2010. The aim of the duty is to help the public sector make better policy decisions and deliver fairer outcomes. It should focus on socio-economic issues such as low income, low wealth and area deprivation.

Food deserts

An urban area in which it is difficult to buy affordable or good-quality fresh food^[5].

Forestry and woodland strategy

A strategy prepared by a planning authority either singly or in collaboration with other planning authorities, which sets out policies and proposals for the development of forestry and woodlands in their area, according to section A159 of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997.

Gate Check

An assessment of the sufficiency of the evidence base on which the Proposed Plan will be developed.

Health and social care partnerships

Also known as 'integration authorities', and 'health and social care integration partnerships'. They are responsible for managing funding for local health and social care services.

Housing Land Audit (HLA)

The annual HLA will monitor the delivery of housing land including past completions and future programming. It will inform the pipeline and actions to be taken in the Delivery Programme.

Housing Need and Demand Assessment (HNDA)

A HNDA estimates the number of additional housing units needed to meet existing and future housing need (social housing) and demand (market housing). It also captures information on the operation of the housing system to assist local authorities to develop policies on new housing supply, management of existing stock, specialist housing provision and the provision of housing-related services. HNDAs are undertaken by local authorities or groups of authorities every five years.

Infrastructure first

Putting infrastructure considerations at the heart of placemaking.

Key agencies

Key organisations/ bodies as defined in regulation 25 with a duty to be consulted, and co-operate in the plan making process at key stages, in respect of their functions.

The bodies are:

• NatureScot;
• Scottish Environment Protection Agency;
• Historic Environment Scotland;
• Scottish Water;
• Scottish Enterprise;
• Highlands and Islands Enterprise;
• South of Scotland Enterprise;
• Regional Transport Partnerships;
• Health Boards; and
• Crofting Commission.

Local Biodiversity Action Plans (LBAP)

LBAPs are a mechanism which seek to ensure that nationally and locally important species and habitats are conserved and enhanced in a given area through focused local action. LBAPs are non-statutory.

Local development plan (LDP)

A local development plan (LDP) is a plan in which it is set out, for land in the part of the district to which it relates:

• a spatial strategy, being a detailed statement of the planning authority's policies and proposals as to the development and use of the land;
• such other matters as may be prescribed; and
• any other matter which the planning authority consider it appropriate to include.

It forms part of the statutory development plan.

Local housing strategy (LHS)

Local housing strategies (LHS) were introduced as part of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 to widen the strategic and enabling role for local authorities in relation to housing in their area. The LHS sets out the outcomes the Council and its partners want to achieve, and the actions they will take, to address housing need and demand in their area.

Local Landscape Character Assessments.

Local Landscape Character Assessments identify, describe and map variations in landscape character in a systematic way.

Local outcomes improvement plan (LOIP)

A local outcomes improvement plan (LOIP) is produced by a community planning partnership (CPP), and describes its local priorities, what improvements the CPP plans for its local communities, and when it will make these improvements. The LOIP covers the whole of the council area that the CPP is responsible for.

Local place plan (LPP)

A LPP is a community-led plan setting out proposals for the development and use of land and a community's aspirations for its future development. Once registered they are to be taken into account in the preparation of the relevant LDP.

Minimum All-Tenure Housing Land Requirements (MATHLR)

There is a statutory requirement for the National Planning Framework to contain targets for the use of land in different areas of Scotland for housing. To meet this, the National Planning Framework includes a Minimum All –Tenure Housing Land Requirement (MATHLR) for each planning authority in Scotland. The MATHLR is the minimum amount of land, by reference to the number of housing units, that is to be provided by each planning authority in Scotland for a 10 year period, as set out in Annex E of NPF4. The MATHLR is expected to be exceeded in the local development plans LHLR.

Mobility hub

Mobility hubs are where active travel, public transport, and shared transport options come together, along with additional community facilities in a way which improves the public realm for all.

Modification Report

This is a report that is required to be published in accordance with section 19(5A)(b) of the Act. It sets out modifications made to the proposed plan and the reasons for making them. It is to be published when a plan is submitted for Examination.

National Marine Plan

The Scottish Ministers are required to prepare and adopt a NMP under the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 and the UK Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009. The NMP provides the guiding framework for the sustainable management of Scotland's marine activities and resources out to 200 nautical miles. It sets strategic objectives for the management and use of the marine environment and includes a series of policies to inform decision-making. The NMP applies to all decisions taken by public authorities that affect Scotland's marine area: Marine Scotland, wider Scottish Government, Local Government Authorities, other public authorities including statutory advisors, regulators and agencies.

National Planning Framework (NPF)

Scotland's fourth National Planning Framework (NPF4) is a long term plan looking to 2045 that guides spatial development, sets out national planning policies, designate national developments and highlight regional spatial priorities. It is part of the development plan, and so influences planning decisions across Scotland.

National waste management plan

National waste management plan has the same meaning as in the National Waste Management Plan for Scotland Regulations 2007. The Scottish Ministers must have a national waste management plan containing their policies in relation to waste prevention, preparation for re-use and waste management in Scotland.

Negative Emissions Technologies (NETs)

Negative Emissions Technologies are an emerging field of technologies that remove greenhouse gases from the atmosphere and using carbon capture and storage sequester them permanently. NETs can include forms of Direct Air Capture with Carbon Storage (DACCS), Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) or other more experimental means such as enhanced weathering or biochar. NETs can be considered one form of Greenhouse Gas Removals (GGRs), which also includes natural sequestration methods such as afforestation. It can also be used interchangeably with Carbon Dioxide Removal technologies (CDR).

Open Space Strategy (OSS)

An open space strategy is to set out a strategic framework of the planning authority's policies and proposals as to the development, maintenance and use of green infrastructure in their district, including open spaces and green networks. It must contain; an audit of existing open space provision, an assessment of current and future requirements, and any other matter which the planning authority consider appropriate.

Participation statement

A document setting out the plan for engagement in the plan making process, including when consultation is likely to take place, with whom and its likely form. This will include the steps to be taken to involve the public at large.

Place principle

All those responsible for providing services and looking after assets in a place need to work and plan together, and with local communities, to improve the lives of people, support inclusive and sustainable economic growth and create more successful places.

Place standard tool

The Place Standard tool is a way of assessing places. It provides a simple framework to structure conversations about place, based around 14 questions.

Play Sufficiency Assessment (PSA)

A play sufficiency assessment is the assessment of the sufficiency of play opportunities for children in their area, carried out by a planning authority under the duty as set out in Section 16D(1) of the Town and Country Planning Scotland Act 1997, as amended. Must be done by the planning authority in preparing an Evidence Report.

Post adoption statement

Once the LDP has been adopted, the Responsible Authority has to prepare and publish a Post Adoption Statement. The Statement outlines how the SEA assessment findings and the comments received at the main consultation, both on the plan and the Environmental Report, have been taken into account.

Procedure Notice

A request by the appointed person for further information relating to the plan, with details of who should provide that information. (Defined in full in regulation 18)

Proposals map

A map or maps which describe and illustrate the policies and proposals of the plan spatially.

Proposed Plan

A draft stage of the LDP, which must be approved by full council before proceeding to consultation.

Public safety zone

Public safety zones are areas of land at the ends of the runways at the busiest airports, within which development is restricted in order to control the number of people on the ground at risk of death or injury in the event of an aircraft accident on take-off or landing.

Recommended modifications statement

A statement to be published by the planning authority, where a recommended modification to the plan, by the appointed person, was not made. It is to set out the recommended modification which was not made and explain why it was not made with reference to the grounds for declining the recommendation. It is to be published as soon as reasonably practicable after the LDP is constituted.

Regional Marine Plan

Regional Marine Plans are prepared by Marine Planning Partnerships that have delegated planning powers and are comprised of marine stakeholders who reflect marine interests in their region. Regional Marine Plans can be prepared to reflect local circumstances and issues in the management of the marine environment across the 11 Scottish Marine Regions.

Regional spatial strategy (RSS)

A long-term spatial strategy in respect of the strategic development of an area (or areas). It must specify the region it relates to and identify, in relation to the region:

• the need for strategic development;
• the outcomes to which the authority (or authorities) consider that strategic development will contribute;
• priorities for the delivery of strategic development; and
• proposed locations for strategic development, which must be shown in the strategy in the form of a map or diagram.

Regional transport partnerships (RTPs)

Bodies established to prepare regional transport strategies.

Regional transport strategy (RTS)

Regional transport partnerships are required by legislation to prepare strategies for how transport will be improved and delivered in their region and keep them under review.

Report on modifications

Where the constituted plan differs from the proposed plan published under section 18(1)(a) (the plan consulted on) as a result of modifications made under section 18(3) (following consultation), 19(10) (following the appointed persons recommendations) or 19A(5)(b)(i) (following the appointed persons directed steps have been taken), the planning authority must as soon as reasonably practicable after the LDP is constituted publish a 'report on modifications'.

River basin management plans

Plans that set out a framework for protecting and improving the benefits provided by the water environment across Scotland. They are produced by SEPA on behalf of Scottish Government and they cover actions for public bodies, industry and land managers in Scotland.

Sectoral Marine Plans

Sectoral Marine Plans are prepared by the Scottish Ministers to ensure that marine energy and offshore wind developments operating in Scotland's waters are undertaken sustainably. They are important strategic documents in the roll-out of off-shore and marine renewables.

Self-build list

A list prepared and maintained by the planning authority of people who have registered interest with the authority with the intention of acquiring land in the authority's area for self-build housing.

Spatial strategy

A detailed statement of the planning authority's policies and proposals as to the development and use of the land, in the part of the district to which it relates.

Sports pitch strategy

A strategy that sets out plans and actions for the long term improvement and development of facilities for pitch sports in a local authority area. Amy also be known locally as a playing pitch or playing field strategy.

Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA)

Strategic environmental assessment is a procedure to assess the environmental impact and sustainability of a proposed or existing policy, plan, or programme.

Strategic transport network

Includes the trunk road and rail networks. Its primary purpose is to provide the safe and efficient movement of strategic long-distance traffic between major centres, although in rural areas it also performs important local functions.

Triple access planning (TAP)

Future sustainable urban accessibility can be achieved through the transport system (physical mobility), the land-use system (spatial proximity) and the telecommunications system (digital connectivity); together constituting a Triple Access System (TAS)^[6].

Urban heat island

This refers to the situation where there are higher temperatures in built up areas compared to countryside areas. Further information can be found from a variety of sources, including The Royal Meteorological Society.