South Ayrshire Local Plan

Glossary Of Terms

Adjacent/Adjoining
a site which, once developed, would be both physically and functionally integrated with existing sites.

Adjacent/Adjoining Town Centre (for Town Centre Uses)
a site which is within easy walking distance of a town centre as defined on the Proposals Map and which will be, once developed, positively linked to the town centre in both physical and functional terms, and providing parking facilities that serve the town centre as well as the proposed development, thus enabling one trip to serve several purposes.

Affordable Housing
this is broadly defined as housing of a reasonable quality that is affordable to people on modest incomes. The main ways through which this is achieved are:

Social rented accommodation, usually provided by a housing association or the local authority;

Low cost housing for sale, for example shared ownership, self build or other subsidized or discounted housing for sale; and

Some private sector rented accommodation, available at lower cost than market rents, and provided either by local landowners or commercial landlords.

Airport Related Industry
uses which do not need direct access to the airport precinct and runway, but still need to be within a short drive time from the airport.

Article 4 Direction
mechanism to increase control over specified building (or other) operations which would otherwise not require planning permission.

Ayrshire and Arran Tourism Strategy
statement of vision and aims of the Ayrshire and Arran Tourist Board in promotion and development of the local tourist industry.

Barrier Free Design
external and internal building standards which ease access and use of buildings, especially for those with a disability.Brownfield Land
land which has previously been developed. The term may encompass vacant or derelict land; infill sites; land occupied by redundant or unused buildings; and developed land within the settlement boundary where further intensification of use is considered acceptable.

Coastal Area
land (including water features) above the high water mark with significant visual, physical or environmental association with the sea or foreshore.

Conservation Area
an area of special architectural or historic interest, the character or appearance of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance.

Countryside
land outwith the built up area and a defined town or village boundary, it may be covered by policies relating to either Greenbelt, Rural Protection Area or Rural Diversification Area.

Economic Benefit
Scale of benefit to the economy of the local community, particularly in terms of job creation or maintenance.Significant Economic Benefit
scale of benefit to the economy of an area larger than the local community and usually to South Ayrshire as a whole, particularly in terms of job creation or maintenance.

Exceptional Economic Benefit
scale of benefit to the economy of an area larger than South Ayrshire, and usually Ayrshire as a whole, particularly in terms of job creation and maintenance.

Effective Housing Site
land expected to be free of development constraint and available for the construction of houses within a five year period.

Established Housing Site
sites with agreed potential for housing development.

Environmental Impact Assessment
document providing information to enable consideration of positive and negative impacts of a proposed development on the environment.

Edge of Centre
A location within easy walking distance of the town centre, and usually adjacent to the town centre, and providing parking facilities that serve the centre as well as the store, thus enabling one trip to serve another purpose.

Foreshore
Land between the coastline (high water mark) and the mean low water mark of the ordinary spring tides, including associated beaches, rock and the inter tidal area.

Greenfield Site
land which has never previously been developed, or fully restored formerly derelict land which has been brought back into active or beneficial use for agriculture, forestry, environmental purposes, or outdoor recreation.

Habitat Directive
European legislation to protect endangered animal and plant species.

High Technology
Office, research and development, computer manufacture etc., i.e. processes which could be carried out in a residential area without detriment to amenity.

House in Multiple Occupation
House occupied by more than 5 unrelated people, or more than 4 unrelated people in a flat.

Housing Market Area
an area which is relatively self-contained in terms of reflecting people’s choice of location for a new home (i.e. a specific ‘house search area’).

Industrial Hierarchy
the network and relationship of small, medium and large industrial companies within the local economy.

Infill Site
land within a settlement boundary which could comfortably accommodate the proposed development without compromising the environmental quality of the locality.

Large Food Store
a store of 1000m2 or over, gross floorspace, selling convenience goods.

Local Housing Strategy
This is a requirement of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001. It is an assessment of needs and resources together with an action plan for the development of housing and related policies and services, over a 5 year period, and across all tenures within a Local Authority area.

Local Needs
Development principally serving the catchment of the local community.

Infrastructure
hardware or works which allows development to take place.

Landfill Site
An official, regulated or controlled site where waste is deposited into or onto the land.

Low Cost Home Ownership
subsidised housing in the private, owner-occupied sector which is available to people who cannot afford to occupy houses generally available on the open market.

Marketable Industrial Land
land which is, or will be available and capable of accommodating industrial development within the Plan period.

National Cycle Network
proposed cycle way on specific routes which will link all major towns within the U.K.

Neighbourhood Centre
group of shops and community facilities, including commercial premises which serve the day to day requirements of the local area.

Out of Centre
a location clearly separated from a town centre, as defined on the Proposals Map.

Park and Ride Facility
mechanism through which cars can be safely parked and an onward journey completed on public transport.

Public Sector Housing
housing rented from the Council or other publicly funded department or agency required by law to arrange for, or provide, particular housing services.

Regeneration Strategy
document through which the Council’s aims and objectives are identified, for the improvement of the local economy and environment, especially within specific areas of high unemployment.

Residential Institution
Education or health facility with integral residential accommodation.

Retail Impact Assessment
exercise undertaken to assess the likely impact of new retail development on existing retail centres.

Settlement
defined town or village with a range of facilities and/or infrastructure.

Specific Locational Need
a rural based development which requires to be located at a particular location in order to use a specific resource found at that location which is essential to the proposal and which is unavailable within a settlement.

Special Needs housing
Amenity housing meeting specific design standards, e.g. for wheelchair access.

Structure Plan
land use planning document giving broad guidance on development proposals.

Structurally sound and substantially intact
a complete building (including its roof) which is proven by a structural report to be free of any serious structural defects in walls, roof or foundations which would require remedial repairs or rebuilding.

Substantially intact building
property which, when converted, will remain visually similar to the original property at the time of the planning application’s submission

Sui Generis
Term used to describe an activity/use of land or buildings which is not specifically included in the Use Classes Order (Scotland) 1997.

S.A.C.
Special Area of Conservation, designated under European Union legislation for the protection of wildlife.

S.P.A.
Special Protection Area, designated under European Union legislation for the specific protection of birdlife.

S.S.S.I.
Site of Special Scientific Interest - designated under U.K. legislation for the protection of sensitive wildlife habitats or geological environments.

Traditional / vernacular
a stone built building built before 1st July 1948 which is of residential scale and form and which has a slate roof.

Tree Preservation Order
designated under Scottish legislation for the protection of mature trees or woodland.

Town Centre
concentrated areas which provide a broad range of facilities and services which fulfill a function as a focus for both the community and public transport. It excludes retail parks, neighbourhood centres and small parades of shops of purely local significance.

Town Centre Uses
uses including all Class 1 retail, Class 2 office, Class 3 food and drink (excluding hot food and snack bar), class 7 hotels, class 11 assembly and leisure, and sui generis public house developments.

Traffic Impact Assessment
exercise undertaken to assess the likely impact of new development on the efficient operation and safety of the road network.

Wildlife Site
wildlife sites (either “potential” or “confirmed”) are sites identified by the Scottish Wildlife Trust and recognised by the Council as having local natural heritage value.

1991 Census
National Study undertaken to obtain information on the U.K. population.