SPATIAL PLANNING Key Instrument for Development and Effective Governance

ANNEX: KEY SPATIAL PLANNING TERMS 3
Brownfield land or
site
Catchment area/
River catchment
Development
Development plan
Previously developed land which is or was occupied by a permanent
structure (excluding agricultural or forestry buildings) and associated
fixed-surface infrastructure.
(1) An area from which surface runoff is carried away by a single
drainage system. (2) The area of land bounded by watersheds draining
into a river, basin or reservoir.
Converting the form of land and property or its use. This is defined
specifically for each system and may be further elaborated through
planning instruments. It usually includes new buildings; alterations to
existing buildings; engineering operations such as minerals excavation;
demolition of buildings; and certain changes in the use of property.
A document setting out the local planning authority’s policies and
proposals for the development and use of land and buildings in the
authority’s area.
Development rights The legal right to change or undertake development. Some limited
development rights are granted by constitutions.
Environmental
assessment/
Environmental
impact assessment
Enforcement
A technique used for identifying the environmental effects of
development projects. As a result of Directive 85/337/EEC (as amended
in 1997), this is now a legislative procedure that is applied to the
assessment of the environmental effects of certain public and private
projects which are likely to have significant effects on the environment.
An environmental impact assessment requires a scoping study to be
undertaken in order to focus the assessment. This can be carried out in
the field or as a desk study depending on the nature/scale of the project.
The enforcement of planning control. Local planning authorities should
ensure that the terms and conditions of planning decisions are carried out
and that development carried out without planning permission is brought
under control. However, there is no statutory duty on local planning
authorities to enforce controls; the degree to which they do varies
according to political commitment and the resources they devote to it.
3 This glossary has been mainly compiled from the following sources:
• European Commission (1997). The EU compendium of spatial planning systems and policies. Office for Official
Publications of the European Communities, Luxembourg.
• European Environment Agency (online). EEA multilingual environmental glossary. EEA, Copenhagen
(http://glossary.eea.europa.eu/EEAGlossary).
• UK Planning Portal (online). Glossary of planning terms. UK Planning Portal (managed by the Office of the Deputy
Prime Minister), Bristol (http://www.planningportal.gov.uk).
Spatial Planning - Key Instrument for Development and Effective Governance 43