GLOSSARY

Advertisement:

Under the Advertisement Regulations an “advertisement” is defined as any word, letter, model, sign, placard, board, notice, awning, blind, device or representation, whether illuminated or not, in the nature of, and employed wholly or partly for the purposes of, advertisement, announcement or direction, including any hoarding or similar structure.

Agriculture:

Includes horticulture, fruit growing, seed growing, dairy farming and livestock breeding and keeping, the use of the land as grazing land, meadow land, osier land, market gardens and nursery grounds and the use of land for woodlands where that use is ancillary to the farming of land for other agricultural purposes.

Ancient Monument:

A building or structure above or below ground whose preservation is of national importance and which has been scheduled by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport because of its historic, architectural, traditional, artistic or archaeological interest.

Archaeological Remains:

Earthworks, remains under the soil surface, urban remains under existing towns, certain buildings and monuments, and items of historic or industrial interest.

Area of Special Advertisement Control:

An area within which the display of advertisements is more stringently controlled in order to safeguard amenity.

Area of Great Landscape Value (AGLV):

Area of high visual quality designated by Surrey County Council as being of county importance.

Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB):

Area of high visual quality designated by the Countryside Agency as being of national importance.

Article 4 Direction:

A Direction by the Local Planning Authority, approved by the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, which restricts the carrying out of development which would not normally require planning permission.

Building Preservation Notice:

A Notice served on the owner and occupier of a building which temporarily halts its demolition or alteration, whilst consideration is given to making it a Listed Building.

Bridleway:

A highway over which the public have a right of way on foot and a right of way on horseback or leading a horse, but with or without a right to drive animals of any description along a highway. Bicycles may also be ridden on bridleways but these rights can be extinguished.

Business Use:

Class B1 under the Town and Country Planning (Use classes) Order 1987, and defined as:

“Use for all or any of the following purposes:

(a) as an office other than a use within class A2 (financial and professional services)

(b) for research and development of products and processes, or

(c) for any industrial process

being a use which can be carried out in any residential area without detriment to the amenity of that area by reason of noise, vibration, smell, fumes, smoke, soot, ash, dust or grit.”

Caravan:

A structure designed and adapted for human habitation which is capable of being moved from one place to another. A caravan should be composed of not more than two sections constructed and designed to be assembled on site by means of bolts, clamps or other devices and should not exceed: a) 60 feet in length, b) 20 feet in width and c) 10 feet overall height of living accommodation.

Car Parking Standards:

The standard of provision to be applied to all new developments in the District.

Catchment Area:

The area from which the population may travel to a particular facility, e.g. shopping.

Circulars:

Non-statutory documents issued by Government departments, containing advice and current policy. The Circulars referred to in this Plan are those issued by the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions concerning planning and related issues. See also Planning Policy Guidance Notes.

classified Road:

A highway which is designated as either A, B or C class.

Common Land:

Land registered under the Commons Registration Act 1965 to which certain rights of access apply.

Conservation Area:

Area designated by a local planning authority under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 (Section 69) which is of special architectural or historic interest, the character of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance.

Conservation Area Consent:

Consent from the local planning authority for the demolition of certain unlisted buildings and structures within a Conservation Area.

Countryside:

All areas which lie outside the boundaries of built-up areas and villages specified in the Plan and on the Proposals Map.

Countryside Management:

A co-ordinated approach which aims to enhance the countryside and resolve conflicts between those who live and work in it, and those who use it for leisure purposes.

Cycle Route:

A general term used to describe various types of route (including cycle lanes, cycle paths, cycleways and cycle tracks) both on the highway and separate from it.

Development:

The carrying out of a building, engineering, mining or other operation in, on, over or under land, or the making of any material change of use of any buildings or other land.

Enforcement Action:

Action which is considered by a local planning authority to be expedient in stopping development which has been carried out without planning permission or in contravention of a planning condition, by service of an Enforcement Notice.

Fragmentation:

Process whereby farm holdings are reduced in size or split up into smaller holdings, often when the original owner disposes of the farm in lots.

Garden Centre:

A retail unit selling plants, gardening materials, equipment, sundries etc that have primarily been brought onto the site for sale, rather than a nursery which grows plants and other produce which may be sold to the visiting public from time to time.

General Development Order:

The Town of Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995 set out those types of development which may be carried out without the need to seek specific planning permission from the local planning authority.

Gross Retail Floorspace:

Retail selling space, together with all ancillary floorspace such as storage, staff facilities, corridors etc, measured to the outside of external walls.

Gypsies:

Persons of nomadic habit of life, whatever their race or origin, but not including members of an organised group of travelling showmen, or of persons engaged in travelling circuses, travelling together as such. (Section 24 of the Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act 1960 as amended by Section 80 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994).

Highway Authority:

Surrey County Council is the Highway Authority for the District of Mole Valley.

Historic Gardens:

English Heritage publishes a register of “Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest”.

Household:

One person living alone or a group of people living at the same address and sharing housekeeping arrangements.

Housing Associations:

Non-profit making organisations usually providing subsidised houses for rent. They are usually financed by grants from the Housing Corporation (a Government body).

Housing Investment Programme (HIP):

An annual statement of the Council’s housing strategy incorporating its bid for capital allocation from Central Government for housing purposes.

Infilling:

The development of a vacant site in a substantially developed frontage.

Infrastructure:

Basic services necessary for development, for example, roads, electricity, sewerage.

Institution:

Residential institutional uses are those falling within class 2 of the Town and Country Planning (Use classes) Order 1987 and include hospitals, nursing homes, residential schools, colleges and training centres. Non-residential institutions are those falling within class D1 and include health centres, museums, libraries and churches.

Leisure Use:

This term encompasses all types of recreation, entertainment, sporting, cultural or social activities.

Leq:

An equivalent continuous sound level. The sound level of a steady sound having the same energy as a fluctuating sound over a specified period of time.

Listed Building:

A building of special architectural or historic interest included in a list prepared by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport under Section 1 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990. A specific form of permission known as “Listed Building Consent” is required for its alteration or demolition.

Local Plan:

A Local Plan provides detailed policies and proposals for the use of land for housing, employment and other development, defines the boundaries of policy areas, and co-ordinates development programmes. A Local Plan usually covers a period of 10 years.

Local Nature Reserves (LNR):

Habitats of local significance for nature conservation which are managed partly for educational objectives.

Local Transport Plan:

Explains how local authorities intend to tackle transport issues and is a major means of securing funding for transport schemes.

Mobile Home:

See Caravan.

Movement:

Refers to all aspects of travelling that occur within the District by persons or goods on land. It includes not only the car and public transport user but also the commercial vehicle operator, pedestrian and cyclist.

National Nature Reserve (NNR):

An area of national, and sometimes international, importance which is owned or leased by English Nature or bodies approved by them, or is managed in accordance with Nature Reserve Agreements with landowners and occupiers. The essential characteristics of National Nature Reserves is that they are primarily used for nature conservation.

Noise:

Sound pressure which produces noise is measured in various ways depending on the type of noise and the effect on the human ear. A basic measurement is the decibel (dB(A)), which in terms of aircraft noise is weighted to produce a “perceived noise level” (PNdB). This can be further refined to the “effective perceived noise level” (EPNdB).

Outline Planning Application:

An application ‘in principle’ to carry out development with certain details reserved for subsequent approval, including siting, design, external appearance, means of access and/or landscaping.

Outstanding Planning Permission:

Development for which planning permission has been granted but which has not yet been implemented.

Park Home:

See Caravan.

Permitted Development:

Development authorised under the General Development Order as development not requiring an application for planning permission.

Planning Brief:

A document describing in detail the Council’s views on different aspects of the future development of a particular site, and which lists the requirements the Council may have for the site.

Planning Gain or Benefit:

Where, in connection with the grant of planning permission, the District Council seeks to impose on a developer an obligation to carry out works not included in the development for which permission has been sought or to make some payment or confer some extraneous right or benefits in return for permitting the development to take place.

Planning Policy Guidance Note (PPG):

A non-statutory document issued by a Government department providing guidance on current planning policies.

potential Sites of Nature Conservation Importance (pSNCI):

Areas identified by the Surrey Wildlife Trust but not surveyed by them, which are likely to be of county importance for nature conservation. They contain good examples of major habitats types, or an especially varied form of flora or fauna.

Recreation – Formal:

Activity in which participants usually require special skills or equipment and normally also access to specially constructed or adapted locations, e.g. sports hall, golf courses.

Recreation – Informal:

Activity in which participants require no specific skills or equipment, e.g. walking, picnicking.

Registered Social Landlords:

See Housing Associations

Rights of Way:

Paths over which the public have right of access, including footpaths, bridleways and byways open to all traffic.

Section 106 Agreement:

A legal agreement, under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, between the Council and an applicant restricting or regulating the use of land or imposing an obligation on the applicant to carry out specified actions. Often used in a situation not readily covered by planning conditions.

Sites of Nature Conservation Importance (SNCI):

Sites which are of County or regional wildlife value on account of their flora or fauna.

Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI):

Areas designated by English Nature as being of special interest by reason of their flora, fauna or geological or physiographical features.

Sheltered Housing:

Housing which is purpose-built or converted exclusively for the elderly, with special estate management services and which consists of group self-contained accommodation, an emergency alarm system, usually with communal facilities and normally with a resident warden.

Special Area of Conservation (SAC):

An area identified under the European Habitats Directive because of its rarity or vulnerability.

Speculative Development:

Development carried out without a prospective purchaser/ occupier.

South East Regional Planning Conference (SERPLAN):

Regional planning and transportation organisation constituted by the London Boroughs and County and District Councils in the South East.

Statutory Undertaker and Public Utilities:

Persons or bodies authorised by an enactment to carry out certain undertakings, principally concerned with transport and the supply of electricity, gas or water.

Supermarkets:

Single level, self-service stores selling mainly food, with a trading floorspace less than 2500 square metres, often with car parking.

Superstores:

Single level, self-service stores selling mainly food, or food and non-food goods, usually with at least 2500 square metres trading, with supporting car parking.

Surrey:

The Administrative County of Surrey.

Surrey Structure Plan:

This sets out the broad framework for the development and other use of land in the County. It was adopted by the County Council in 1995.

Tree Preservation Order (TPO):

An order placed on trees or woodland considered of high amenity value prohibiting the cutting down, topping, lopping or wilful destruction of trees without the Council’s consent.

Town and Country Planning Act 1990:

The main legislation under which town planning control is currently exercised and under which Regulations and Orders in the form of Statutory Instruments are made.

Urban Fringe:

The term applied to areas of generally open, and often neglected land on the periphery of urban areas.

Use classes Order:

The Town and Country Planning (Use classes) Order 1987 lists 16 classes of use. The change from one use to another use within the same class does not constitute development and consequently does not require planning permission.

Unidentified/Windfall Housing Sites:

Sites for housing development, generally located within urban areas which have not been identified previously as part of the potential housing commitment for an area prior to them receiving planning permission for development.