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ANNEX 2: GLOSSARY OF PLANNING TERMS
Please note that the definitions contained in this glossary may be subject to some amendments as secondary legislation and guidance is prepared and revised.
Action Programme
A document setting out how the policies and proposals in the strategic or local development plan will be delivered, including action by the planning authority, private developers and other organisations.
Adoption
Bringing into force of a local development plan.
Appeals
Applicants aggrieved by the decision of a planning authority to refuse planning permission or grant planning permission subject to conditions have a right of appeal to the Scottish Ministers. Other appeals include those related to listed building consent, advertisement control and enforcement action. They may also appeal if the planning authority has failed to make a decision within the required period. Responsibility for determining most appeals is delegated to the Scottish Executive Inquiry Reporters Unit ( SEIRU).
Development Brief
A document which sets out guidance on how planning and design should be implemented on a specific site.
Development Plan Scheme
A document setting out the programme for preparing and reviewing the strategic development plan or local development plan. It includes a Participation Statement.
Environmental Impact Assessment ( EIA)
An important procedure for ensuring that the likely effects of new development on the environment are fully understood and taken into account before planning permission is granted.
Main Issues Report
A report published by the planning authority at an early stage in preparing each strategic development plan and local development plan. It identifies the key issues that face the area and issues where the development plan may need to change.
Major Development
Developments not considered to be of national strategic importance but nonetheless are of a size and scale to be considered of major importance. Examples might be a shopping centre, a business park or a large scale housing development. Major developments will be described in secondary legislation.
Master Plan
A master plan explains how a site or a series of sites, will be developed, describing and illustrating the proposed urban form in three dimensions.
Material Considerations
A planning matter which is relevant to a planning application. Can include national policies, comments by the public and other people the planning authority has consulted, and issues such as the design of a proposal or its effect on the environment. Legally, decisions on planning applications must be based on the Development Plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise. Details of what constitutes a material consideration can be found in Paragraph 50 of SPP1.
Mediation
A process involving an independent third party, whose role is to help parties to identify the real issues between them, their concerns and needs, the options for resolving matters and, where possible, a solution which is acceptable to all concerned.
National Park Authority
There are currently two designated National Park Authorities in Scotland: Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park and the Cairngorms National Park.
Neighbour Notification
A means by which people with an interest in neighbouring land or property in the immediate physical proximity to development proposals are informed that a development plan identifies that site or that a planning application has been submitted, allowing neighbours to make comments.
Planning Agreement
An agreement under Section 75 of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 between a planning authority and an applicant to regulate or restrict development.
Planning Committee
A group of elected members, Councillors, in a local authority who have the responsibility of taking decisions on planning applications or planning policy, including development plans.
Policies
Statements by planning authorities or Scottish Ministers of their attitudes or intentions towards existing or future situations which require action. Land use planning policies relate solely to physical land use development, for example, the location of housing or the improvement of the environment. They are limited to those which can be applied by the planning authority itself, or by other public bodies after full consultation and agreement.
Proposed Plan
The next public stage in the preparation of a strategic development plan or local development plan after the main issues report. The proposed plan should promote a development strategy for the area which has taken account of public representations made on the main issues report.
Representations
A comment made on a planning issue by a member of the public, Statutory Consultee and other stakeholder. Representations include objections and letters of support.
Scottish Executive Inquiry Reporters Unit ( SEIRU) A department of the Scottish Executive, whose reporters will assess objections to development plans and take decisions on most planning appeals on behalf of Scottish Ministers.
Scottish Ministers
The group of Ministers that collectively comprise the Scottish government. While the general term Scottish Ministers is used, decisions on strategic development plans and on a limited number of planning applications which raise national issues are taken by an individual Minister.
Strategic Development Planning Authorities
A group of planning authorities acting jointly to prepare a strategic development plan ( SDP). The SDPs which will be created by the Planning Act will not cover the whole country - only the four main cities and their surrounding areas, i.e. Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow.
Strategic Environmental Assessment ( SEA)
A process for identifying and assessing the significant environmental effects of a strategy, plan or programme so that they may be taken into account before the plan is approved or adopted. All development plans must meet the requirements for SEA.
Supplementary Guidance/Supplementary Planning Guidance ( SPG)
Detailed guidance, for example on design, published by the planning authority in connection with a strategic development plan or local development plan. Statutory supplementary guidance forms part of the development plan where it has met requirements on participation and adoption. Planning authorities may also publish other non-statutory supplementary guidance, but it does not form part of the development plan.
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