8 Glossary

Affordable housing: Affordable housing is defined as social rented, affordable rented and intermediate housing, provided to eligible households whose needs are not met by the market. Eligibility is determined with regard to local incomes and local house prices.

Brownfield (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 of the curtilage should be developed) and any associated fixed surface infrastructure. There are some exclusions to this, such as land occupied by agricultural or forestry buildings and private residential gardens.

Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL): A statutory charge which allows local planning authorities to require financial contributions from development to help fund infrastructure in the area.

Development plan: The adopted Local Plan, Supplementary Planning Documents, and neighbourhood plans, as defined in section 38 of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004.

Duty to Cooperate: The legal duty on local planning authorities, county councils and public bodies to engage constructively, actively and on an ongoing basis to maximise the effectiveness of Local Plan preparation. This is not a duty to agree, but every effort should be made to secure the cooperation on strategic cross boundary matters before a Local Plan is submitted.

East of England Plan, Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS): Provided the regional planning framework for the East of England.Local planning authorities were required to ensure Local Plans were in conformity with the regional plan, such as housing and job targets to be delivered over a plan period. The plan was prepared by the regional planning body in the form of the Regional Assembly. Following the Localism Act 2011, the regional assembly was dissolved and the East of England Plan was revoked on 3 January 2013. Local planning authorities, are now required to assess their individual housing and job needs in their local area.

Garden Suburb: A development built on the outskirts of an existing settlement, following principles to create neighbourhoods with enhanced natural environments. The concept is not just relating to the design, but also about ensuring engagement with local communities from early stages, and aiming for long term local stewardship.

Greenfield: Is land that has not been previously developed, as opposed to brownfield sites.

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. This includes designated heritage assets and assets identified by the local planning authority (including local listing).

Localism Act 2011: Is an Act of Parliament that changed the powers of local government in England. The aim of the act is to facilitate the devolution of decision-making powers from central government control to individuals and communities.

Local Plan: The plan for future development of the local area, drawn up by the local planning authority in consultation with the community.

Neighbourhood plan: A plan prepared by a Parish Council or Neighbourhood Forum for a particular neighbourhood area (made under the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004).

National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF): Sets out the Government’s planning policies for England and how these are expected to be applied. It must be taken into account in the preparation of local and neighbourhood plans, and is a material consideration in planning decisions.

National Planning Practice Guidance: Online guidance that sits alongside and supports the NPPF. The guidance provides a more detailed and practical interpretation of the overarching policies in the NPPF, such as how to carry out housing needs assessments and what policies in development plans should and should not do. It is not a static guidance as it is continuously reviewed and updated by Government.

Objectively Assessed Need: The development needs for both housing and economic development of an area:

• Housing: Identification of the future quantity of housing, including a breakdown by type, tenure and size within both the affordable sector as well as market housing.
• Economic Development: Identification of the future quantity of land or floorspace required for economic development uses including both the quantitative and qualitative needs for new development; and provide a breakdown of that analysis in terms of quality and location, and to provide an indication of gaps in current land supply.

Retail Hierarchy: This is the hierarchy of shopping and commercial centres. In Brentwood, the highest retail hierarchy is the Brentwood Town Centre, followed by District Shopping Centres (Shenfield, Ingatestone & Warley Hill,) and then Local Shops.

Sequential Test: The means of going through a sequence of tests when considering the location of new development. This is to ensure that development is located in the most sustainable location first, before other, less sustainable locations are chosen. In the NPPF it relates to location of retail development and development in areas at risk from flooding.

Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs): Sites designated by Natural England under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

Sustainability Appraisal: An appraisal of the economic, environmental, and social effects of a plan (in this case, the Local Plan) from the outset of the preparation process to allow decisions to be made that accord with sustainable development.