Glossary

Accessible Natural Green Space Standards (ANGst)

Provided by Natural England and provide a set of benchmarks for ensuring access to places near to where people live.

Affordable housing

Affordable housing includes social rented, affordable rented and intermediate housing, and is provided to eligible households whose needs are not met by the market. Affordable housing should:

• Meet the needs of eligible households including availability at a cost low enough for them to afford, determined with regard to local incomes and local house prices.
• Include provision for the home to remain at an affordable price for future eligible households or, if these restrictions are lifted, for the subsidy to be recycled for alternative affordable housing provision.

Agri-environment schemes

A term used to describe national (or local) schemes that pay farmers to farm in an environmentally sensitive way. These schemes were, up until 2005, targeted at specific areas throughout the country that are considered to have high conservation value. In 2005 with the introduction of the Environmental Stewardship (ES) scheme, all farmers in England are eligible.

Annual Monitoring Report (AMR)

A report to show progress made in the preparing the Local Plan and the effectiveness of its policies.

Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP)

A strategy prepared for a local area aimed at conserving and enhancing biological diversity.

Biodiversity

The whole variety of life encompassing all generics, species and ecosystem variations, including plants and animals.

Brownfield sites/previously developed land)

Land which is or was occupied by a permanent structure, including the curtilage of the developed land and any associated fixed surface infrastructure.’ The definition includes defence buildings, but excludes:

• Land that is or has been occupied by agricultural or forestry buildings.
• Land that has been developed for minerals extraction or waste disposal by landfill purposes where provision for restoration has been made through development control procedures.
• Land in built-up areas such as private residential gardens, parks, recreation grounds and allotments, which, although it may feature paths, pavilions and other buildings, has not been previously developed.
• Land that was previously-developed but where the remains of the permanent structure or fixed surface structure have blended into the landscape in the process of time (to the extent that it can reasonably be considered as part of the natural surroundings).

Climate change

Long-term changes in temperature, precipitation, wind and all other aspects of the Earth’s climate often regarded as a result of human activity and fossil fuel consumption.

Code for Sustainable Homes

A national standard for sustainable design and construction of new homes launched in December 2006

Combined Heat and Power (CHP)

The combined production of heat, usually in the form of steam, and power, usually in the form of electricity

Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL)

A new levy that local authorities can choose to charge on new developments in their area. The money can be used to support development by funding infrastructure that the Council, local community and neighbourhoods require.

Community Strategy

A strategy produced in partnership with various organisations working together to achieve a ten-year vision to improve Hastings & St Leonards.

Comparison goods retailers

Shops that sell items where some comparison is likely to be made before purchasing goods (e.g. clothing, carpets, electrical goods).

Compulsory Purchase Order

A legal function that allows certain bodies which need to obtain land, or property, to do so without the consent of the owner. It may be enforced if a proposed development is considered one for public betterment, for example.

Convenience retailers

Convenience retailing is the provision of everyday essential items, including food, drinks, newspapers/magazines and confectionery

Hastings Planning Strategy

The overall strategy setting out how the town will develop up to 2028. It includes strategic policies to guide development, and includes a local housing target and retail and employment floorspace requirements. Formerly called Core Strategy.

Development Management Plan

Forms part of Hastings Local Plan. The Development Management Plan is designed to be consistent with, but not repeat, the Planning Strategy and sets development management policy guidance for use in the determination of planning applications and provides site allocations for residential and employment development up to 2028.

Development Plan Documents

Statutory planning documents, produced by the planning authority, that form part of the Local Plan, including the Hastings Planning Strategy, Development Management Plan and where necessary, Area Action Plans.

District centre

Usually comprises of groups of shops often containing at least one supermarket and a range of non-retail services such as banks, building societies, restaurants, as well as local public facilities such as a library. In the retail hierarchy of Hastings Borough, the district centres are St Leonards Town Centre and Ore Village.

Economically active Population

The economically active population are those people in employment plus the unemployed, (those who are available for and actively seeking work).

Economic activity rate

An indication of the actual and potential labour supply within an area. The Economic Activity Rate measures the number of people who are in employment or unemployed expressed as a percentage of the working age population.

Ecosystems

Environments consisting of all living things in a particular area and the non-living things with which they interact such as soil, air, water and sunlight.

Employment floorspace/buildings/development/uses

Activities or uses that generate employment, including offices, industry, warehousing, showrooms, hotels, retail, entertainment, educational, health and leisure uses (regardless of whether the end occupier is private, public or charity sector).

East Sussex County Council (ESCC)

County Authority for East Sussex

Examination in Public (EIP)

An examination chaired by an independent inspector into objections to the Local Plan Documents and the overall “soundness” of the Local Plan Documents

General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE)

Certificate of qualification

Greenfield sites

Sites that have never been developed or used for an urban use, or are on land that has been brought into active or beneficial use for agriculture or forestry i.e. fully restored derelict land.

Green infrastructure

A network of connected, high quality, multi-functional open spaces, corridors and the links in between, that provide multiple benefits for people and wildlife.

Green roofs

Vegetated layers that sit on top of the conventional roof surfaces of a building, which can support a wide range of plant life. Green roofs can create, or improve, biodiversity, contribute to minimising flood risk, improve thermal efficiency and improve the microclimate.

Habitats Directive

European legislation (1992/43/EC) that aims to protect the wild plants, animals and habitats that make up the natural environment. In the UK, the Habitats Directive is implemented by the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2010 (SI no. 2010/490), more commonly known as the Habitats Regulations.

Housing Needs Survey (HNS)

A study examining housing requirement needs aspirations and demands of the community and households of the Borough.

Information Communication Technology (ICT)

The use of hardware, software, data and communications technology.

Infrastructure Delivery Plan (IDP)

Sets out the key critical infrastructure that is required to support the objectives, policies and spatial strategy set out in the Planning Strategy and details how, when and where this will be delivered.

Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD)

The Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) combines information relating to income, employment, education, health, skills and training, barriers to housing and services, and crime into an overall measure of deprivation.

Job density

The ratio of the number of jobs in an area to the resident working age population within that area.

Lifetime homes

A home built with design features that create a flexible blueprint for accessible and adaptable housing in any setting. Designs incorporate features that allow for flexible living over the lifetime of the occupants and the property. For example in addition to the normal ground and first floors, a house could be provided with full basement, and accessible useable roof space. These areas of the house may be fully furnished and divided or left to be fitted out as and when needed or finances arise.

Localism Act

The Localism Act gives effect to the Government’s ambitions to shift power away from Whitehall and back into the hands of local councils, communities and individuals to act on local priorities.

Local centre

Usually comprises of a small range of shops of a local nature, serving a small catchment – could include one small supermarket, a newsagents, a sub-post office, launderette etc). In the retail hierarchy of Hastings Borough, the local centres are the Old Town, Silverhill, and Bohemia.

Local Plan

The collective name given to all policies and documents forming the planning framework for the town.

Local Development Scheme (LDS)

A project management document setting out what the Local Plan will contain, a timetable for its production, proposals for monitoring and review.

Local Nature Reserves (LNR)

Non-statutory habitats of local significance designated by Local Authorities where protection and public understanding of nature conservation is encouraged.

Mega Watt (MW)

One Million Watts of electrical energy. Most large scale wind turbines are rated by their peak output in mega watts.

Mixed use

Provision ofa mix of complementary uses such as residential, community and leisure uses on a single site or within a particular area.

National Official Labour Market Statistics (NOMIS)

A web-based database of labour market statistics including information on employment, unemployment, earnings, Labour Force Survey and Jobcentre Plus vacancies.

Office of National Statistics (ONS)

Body responsible for producing a wide range of economic and social statistics.

Open space

All space of public value, including public landscaped areas, parks and playing fields, and also including, not just land, but also areas of water such as rivers, lakes and reservoirs, which can offer opportunities for sport and recreation or can also act as a visual amenity and a haven for wildlife

Principal centre

In the retail hierarchy of Hastings Borough, the Town Centre area is the Principal Centre

Proposals Map

A map showing site allocations and geographical areas where policies apply.

Renewable energy

Energy flows that occur naturally and repeatedly in the environment, for example from the wind, water flow, tides or the sun.

Regeneration

The economic, social and environmental renewal and improvement of rural and urban areas

Registered Social Landlord (RSL)

Government funded not-for-profit organisations that provide affordable housing. They work with local authorities to provide homes for people meeting the affordable homes criteria.

Section 106/Planning Obligations

Planning obligations, also known as section 106 agreements, are legally binding agreements typically negotiated between local authorities and developers in the context of planning applications. They are a mechanism by which measures are secured to make acceptable development which would otherwise be unacceptable in planning terms

South East Plan

The South East Plan sets out a vision for the future of the South East region to 2026, outlining how challenges facing the region such as housing, the economy, and transport and protecting the environment should be responded to. The South East Plan is still part of the Statutory Development Plan until provisions in the Localism Act come into force that will result its revocation.

Spatial planning

Spatial planning goes beyond traditional land use planning of considering individual pieces of land. It seeks to bring together land-use policies with other policies, programmes and strategies (e.g. the Hastings & St Leonards Community Strategy) which can influence the nature of places and how they function.

Spatial policies

These focus on a specific part, or parts, of the town.

Special Area of Conservation (SAC)

Areas that have been given special protection under the European Union’s Habitats Directive. They provide increased protection to a variety of wild animals, plants and habitats.

Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)

A site identified under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 as amended by the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 as an area of special interest by reason of any of its flora, fauna, geological or physiographical features.

Strategic policies

These policies apply to the whole town.

Statement of Community Involvement (SCI)

This document sets out how Hastings Borough Council will involve the community in the preparation, alteration and review of the Hastings Local Plan and in the consideration of planning applications.

Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA)

Environmental assessment of policies, plans and programmes required under the European SEA Directive 2001/42/EC.

Sustainable Drainage Systems (SUDs)

SUDs are designed to control the quantity of runoff from a development, to improve the quality of the runoff and to enhance the nature conservation, landscape and amenity value of the site’s surroundings.

Super Output Areas (SOAs)

Geographical areas developed following the 2001 Census that produce a set of areas of consistent size, whose boundaries would not change (unlike electoral wards), suitable for the publication of data such as the Indices of Deprivation.

Supplementary Planning Document (SPD)

Provide supplementary information to support the policies in Development Plan Documents.

Sustainable communities

Places where people want to live and work, now and in the future. They meet the needs of existing and future residents, are sensitive to their environment, and contribute to a high quality of life. They are safe and inclusive, well planned, built and run, and offer equality of opportunity and good services for all.

Sustainable development

Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

Sustainable travel/sustainable transport

Often meaning walking, cycling and use of public transport (and in some circumstances “car sharing”), which is considered to be less damaging to the environment and which contributes less to traffic congestion than one-person car journeys.

Sustainability Appraisal (SA)

Assessment of the social, economic, and environmental impacts of polices and proposals contained within the Local Plan.

Use Classes Order (UCO)

Puts uses of land and buildings into various categories. Also identifies the changes between these classes that would, or would not require planning permission.

Windfall sites

A site that is not specifically allocated for development in a Development Plan, but which unexpectedly becomes available for development during the lifetime of a plan.