Jargon Buster

Planning Process

DMC – Development Management Committee

The Council's committee that determines certain planning applications in public meetings.

Outline Application 

An application seeking approval for the principle of development, with detailed design matters considered later.

Reserved Matters

The later application covering detailed aspects such as layout, appearance, landscaping, scale and access (where reserved).

Planning Officer Report

The report prepared by council officers assessing the application and recommending approval or refusal.

Call-In

When councillors request that an application be decided by committee rather than under delegated powers by officers.

Delegated Decision

A planning decision made by officers under powers delegated by the council, without going to committee.

LPA

Local Planning Authority. The council responsible for determining planning applications.

Statutory Consultee

A statutory consultee in planning is an organisation or body that a local planning authority (LPA) is legally required to consult before making a decision on a planning application. These bodies provide expert, technical advice on specialized issues like transport, environment, and heritage to inform decision-making

Green Belt & Planning Policy

Green Belt

Land protected by national planning policy to prevent urban sprawl and maintain separation between settlements.

Grey Belt

A planning term used in national policy discussions for some Green Belt land that may make a limited contribution to Green Belt purposes. It is not a separate planning designation.

NPPF

National Planning Policy Framework, which sets planning policy for England.

Very Special Circumstances (VSC) 

The planning test often applied to inappropriate development in the Green Belt. Harm to the Green Belt must generally be clearly outweighed by other considerations before permission can be granted.

Planning Balance

The process by which planning officers, councillors or inspectors weigh the benefits of a development against its harms. Benefits might include housing provision or affordable housing, while harms might include impacts on the Green Belt, landscape, wildlife, traffic or local infrastructure. The final decision often depends on where this planning balance is judged to lie.

Local Plan

The council's long-term planning strategy identifying where development should take place and which areas should be protected.

Infrastructure & Contributions

S106 Agreement (Planning Obligation)

A legal agreement requiring a developer to provide infrastructure, affordable housing or financial contributions to help mitigate the impact of development.

CIL – Community Infrastructure Levy

A charge on some developments that can help fund local infrastructure such as roads, schools and community facilities.

Viability Assessment

A financial appraisal used by developers to argue that certain planning requirements (such as affordable housing or infrastructure contributions) are not financially achievable.

Environment & Heritage

BNG (Biodiversity Net Gain)

A legal requirement for most developments to leave biodiversity in a measurably better state than before development.

Ecological Survey

A specialist assessment of wildlife and habitats on or around a site.

Conservation Area

An area designated for its special architectural or historic character.

Heritage Asset

A building, structure, landscape or feature considered historically important.

LVIA (Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment)

A study assessing how a development affects views, landscape character and the surrounding environment.

Highways & Transport

Transport Assessment (TA)

A detailed study of how a development may affect the transport network.

Travel Plan

A strategy intended to encourage walking, cycling, public transport use and reduced car dependency.

PRoW

Public Right of Way

Active Travel 

Walking, cycling and other forms of non-motorised transport.

Flooding & Drainage

SuDS (Sustainable Drainage Systems)

Features such as swales, attenuation ponds and permeable surfaces designed to manage rainwater runoff and reduce flood risk.

Surface Water Flooding

Flooding caused when rainfall cannot drain away quickly enough, often due to overwhelmed drainage systems or increased hard surfaces.

Other

NIMBY – "Not In My Back Yard"

A term sometimes used to describe people who oppose development near where they live. It is often used broadly and can unfairly dismiss genuine planning concerns about infrastructure, environment, traffic, heritage or Green Belt impacts.

This page was most recently updated on Fri 05-Jun-2026