1 in 100 Year Flood Plain - The limit of the floodplain, as defined by the peak water level of appropriate return period event (100 years) on the watercourse. On rivers this will normally be the greater of the 1 in 100 year return period flood or the highest known water level.
1 in 200 Year Flood Plain - The limit of the floodplain, as defined by the peak water level of an appropriate return period event (200 years) at the coast. In coastal areas this will normally be the greater of the 1 in 200 year return period flood or the highest known flood.
Accessible Housing - General purpose housing that takes into account the needs of disabled and elderly people and people with young children by incorporating appropriate design features, sometimes known as “Lifetime Homes”.
Adoption - The final stage of the Unitary Development Plan (UDP) preparation process, which is carried out by publishing a notice stating the date(s) when it was adopted and became operative, after which time it is a statutory plan, superseding all other local plans for the area.
Aftercare - A period of time following completion of a development during which the site is restored, in a systematic and controlled manner, to a condition conducive to an agreed after use e.g. agriculture or forestry.
Aftercare Condition - A condition requiring that such steps shall be taken as may be necessary to bring land to the required standard. Steps that may be specified in the aftercare condition are “planting, cultivating, fertilising, watering, or otherwise treating the land.”
After-Use - The ultimate use after mineral working; for agriculture, forestry, amenity (including nature conservation), industrial or other development.
Affordable Housing - Housing built (usually by a housing association) for sale or rent at a price level below the market rate and kept in this use for perpetuity.
Aggregates - Gravels, crushed stone, sand and other chemically inactive materials which are mixed with cement and water in making concrete or mortar, and also used other with other binding materials (e.g. asphalt) for roadstone and similar purposes and unbound as fill in civil engineering works. The principal purpose is to maximise the total bulk of the mixture at relatively low cost for fill, and for roadstone the properties of the aggregate itself is the important element.
Agriculture - Includes horticulture, fruit & seed growing, dairy farming, the breeding and keeping of livestock, the use of land as grazing, meadow & 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.
Agricultural Dwelling - A dwelling, which is subject to a condition or legal agreement, which specifies that its occupancy is limited to a person or persons employed or last employed solely or mainly and locally in agriculture or forestry, and his or her dependants.
Agricultural Land Classification - A classification of land by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food into one of five grades according to the degree to which its inherent physical or chemical characteristics impose long term limitations on agricultural use.
Agricultural Waste - Mixed waste (organic and inorganic) produced on a farm.
Allocation - The term used in the Plan for identification of a particular site for a specific land use(s) where it is envisaged that development will commence during the Plan period.
Allotments - Statutory allotments as defined in law and protected accordingly.
Amenity - Pleasantness in situation, in terms of both visual and physical surroundings.
Anaerobic Digestion (waste) - Complex biochemical process taking place in the absence of oxygen resulting in carbon dioxide and methane gas mixture (biogas) and stabilised residue.
Ancient Woodland - Sites that have borne woodland of one type or another since at least 1600. The woodland may at different times have been felled, allowed to re-grow and may have even been replanted, but the sites have remained woodland. Such wildlife habitats cannot be created again as they are highly valued for the richness and diversity of their flora and fauna which have taken centuries to develop.
Ancient Semi-Natural Woodland - Sites which have borne woodland since at least 1600 (probably much longer) and have a tree and scrub layer composed of species native to the site derived from natural regeneration or coppice re-growth from individuals which were themselves derived, from natural regeneration.
Appeal - Appeal to the Secretary of State for Wales under the Planning Act, usually against the non-determination of a planning application within 8 weeks of being submitted, or the decision of the Local Planning Authority to refuse to grant planning permission for particular development or to impose conditions upon the grant of planning permission.
Aquifer - A layer of rock that can hold a large amount of water. Water is extracted from some aquifers for public consumption.
Archaeological Assessment - A thorough review of all archaeological and historical information relating to an area potentially affected by proposals for development, including a rapid field inspection of the proposed development area.
Archaeological Evaluation - A programme of intrusive and / or non-intrusive fieldwork designed to supplement and improve existing information to a level of confidence at which planning recommendations can be made.
Area of Special Archaeological Sensitivity - A non-statutory local designation to alert developers of the archaeological sensitivity of an area. The Council consults its archaeological advisers, the Glamorgan Gwent Archaeological Trust Ltd, on planning applications within these areas to ascertain the archaeological potential and consider what measures, if any, need to be taken for their recording or preservation in situ. Ten such areas are currently designated within the County: Abergavenny, Caerwent, Chepstow, Grosmont, Monmouth, Raglan, Skenfrith, Trellech, Usk and Whitecastle.
Area of Amenity Importance (Amenity Space) - An area which is primarily of visual importance in or between built areas, but may also have other uses i.e. formal or informal recreation, environmental, cultural & historic and for wildlife & nature conservation value.
Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) - A statutory area of high landscape value of national significance where the conservation and enhancement of its natural beauty is a priority.
Areas of Special Advertisement Control - Areas where stricter standards of advertisement control are applied. These are in rural areas or in areas that require special protection from unsympathetic signage on the grounds of amenity.
Article 4 Direction - A statutory order made under Article 4 of the Town and Country Planning General Development Order 1988 by the local planning authority, and confirmed by the National Assembly, which removes from the category of "permitted development" any development specified in the direction.
Assisted Areas - Areas defined by the Government where regional selective assistance and regional enterprise grants (amongst other incentives) are available from the Assembly.
Backland housing - Development on land behind road frontages, often involving the sub-division of existing gardens
Best Practicable Environmental Option - The outcome of a systematic consultative and decision-making procedure that emphasises the protection and conservation of the environment across land, air and water. The procedure establishes, for a given set of objectives, the option that provides the most benefits or least damage to the environment as a whole, at acceptable cost, in the long term as well as in the short term.
Built environment - A location that has largely been physically constructed by people.
Cadw - "Cadw: Welsh Historic Monuments Executive Agency" is part of the Welsh Assembly Government and is responsible for the discharge of their statutory responsibilities relating to the preservation, protection and maintenance of ancient monuments, historic (listed) buildings and conservation areas.
Catchment Area - The area that forms the supply of, for example, shoppers to a town centre or water to a river.
Central Shopping Area - The area of a settlement that contains the main retail and associated uses.
Child Care facilities - Changing and feeding rooms, toilets, play equipment, crèches, nurseries and play group amenities used for the benefit of children’s well being.
Civic Amenity Site - A facility enabling the public to dispose of household wastes (including recyclable materials such as glass, paper, textiles, metals, green waste and so on).
Clinical Waste - Human or animal tissue, blood or other body fluids, excretions, drugs or other pharmaceutical products, swabs, syringes, needles and other sharps, which may prove hazardous to any person coming into contact with them, and any other waste arising from medical or related practices (sometimes known as health care waste).
Co-disposal (waste) - A process whereby industrial wastes, including quantities of hazardous liquids and sludges, are land filled in conjunction with household and commercial wastes. This method provides a means of neutralising hazardous substances in certain wastes by creating the conditions for chemical reactions that break down toxic compound into inert components.
Combined Heat and Power (CHP) - A process whereby the heat from locally centred electricity generation, possibly burning waste material, can be used to provide district heating.
Commercial Waste - Waste from premises used wholly or mainly for the purposes of trade, leisure, entertainment or business
Community - A grouping of people linked or tied together by location, demographic characteristic or some other form of common identification.
Community art - Art or craftwork, designed and / or made by amateur or professional people that enhance the appearance or a development.
Community benefits - Benefits for local people that can result from planning agreements. These include serviced land for education health and social services, community facilities, childcare facilities, workplace facilities / benefits for employees, community art, crime prevention measures, local needs shopping and leisure, affordable housing, recreation and play facilities, facilities for pedestrians, cyclists and public transport users, street furniture, archaeological excavations, trees and other landscaping features, other wildlife / natural and built environment features and infrastructure provision.
Community facilities - Amenities of all sizes used for the benefit of the community in terms of developing and maintaining the health and well being of everyone. These include schools, colleges, community halls, youth and OAP centres, ‘drop in’ centres, health care/social services, residential nursing homes, village shops, public houses, childcare facilities, public art, crime prevention measures and places of worships.
Commitments - Schemes for development that have received planning permission or are the subject of a Committee resolution to undertake a particular development.
Comparison (Durable) Goods - Goods for which purchase involves comparison by the customer and which while not being purchased frequently must nevertheless be stocked in a wide range of sizes, styles, colours and qualities e.g. clothes and footwear, jewellery, furniture, electrical items and goods normally sold at specialist shops and general stores.
Completions - Where a built structure e.g. house is capable of beneficial occupation / use.
Composting (waste) - Aerobic decomposition of organic matter (e.g. garden waste or sewage sludge) to produce compost for use as a fertiliser or soil improver. The process can also be used as a pre-treatment for organic wastes prior to land filling, thereby reducing the gas generation and leachate potential of the material.
Conservation Area - An Area of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, the character of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance. Within the Conservation Area there are additional planning controls over certain works, including demolition and works affecting trees.
Construction and Demolition Waste - Waste, generally inert, arising from construction, maintenance and demolition of buildings or other civil engineering projects.
Construction Industry - Those employed in the construction of building and civil engineering projects.
Contaminated Land - Land which represents an actual or potential hazard to public or the environment, as a result of a current or previous use.
Controlled Waste - Household, industrial (including construction and demolition) and commercial wastes or any such waste that is subject to statutory control under the provisions of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
Convenience Goods - Goods bought frequently or out of necessity requiring minimum effort in selection and buying, e.g. food, tobacco, newspapers and other goods of a standardised type for which there is a wide market.
Conversion - The change from one use to another of a building or part thereof, normally involving building works.
Countryside (or Open Countryside) - A term generally applying to those parts of the Plan area lying outside defined settlement boundaries or the physical boundaries of H4 settlements.
County Sites and Monuments Record - A record of sites of archaeological interest kept on a County basis and maintained by the Glamorgan Gwent Archaeological Trust Limited.
Crime Prevention - Measures taken to try and reduce the incident of illegal activities. In the context of the UDP, this includes promoting security measures that have a bearing on land use and designing to reduce crime.
Curtilage - In simple terms, an area of land "related" to a building by ownership, purpose, use and physical layout.
Cycleway - A generic term for all cycle lanes/tracks/paths.
Cycle Lane - A cycle lane is alongside, but part of, the carriageway of an adopted highway that has been identified for use by cyclists. Painted (red or green) and contrasted (eg smooth tarmac where the rest of the roadway is paved or cobbled) unless stated.
Cycle Path - An off road shared or fully segregated path forming a route or part of a cycle route.
Cycle Route - A formal route recommended for cyclists that should be signed.
Cycle Track - Comprises part of a highway adjacent to a carriageway, or a separate highway with a right for pedal cyclists with, or without, a right of way for pedestrians.
Decomposition - breakdown of matter into simpler chemical forms. It may be caused by physical, chemical or microbiological action.
Deposit Period - The length of time within which objections and supporting representations to the Deposit UDP must be "duly made". Unresolved objections will then be considered at a Public Local Inquiry.
Designated Nature Conservation Site - Any area designated as a Special Protection Area (SPA), Special Areas of Conservation (SAC), Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), National Nature Reserve (NNR), Local Nature Reserve (LNR).
Development - The carrying out of building, engineering, mining or other operations in, on, over or under land, or the making of any material change in the use of any building or other land.
Development Brief or Framework Statement - A statement setting out the Council's criteria for the detailed development of a particular site, e.g. layout, landscaping, materials, etc.
Development Plan - Comprises the strategic policies of the Gwent County Council Structure Plan and the more detailed policies of the Monmouth Borough Local Plan, which will both be superseded when the UDP is adopted.
Development where the public is encouraged to visit - All buildings and spaces where public access is permitted. This applies to both public and private buildings and spaces.
Difficult Waste - Waste which, due to its nature or physical properties, can give rise to particular pollution risks or nuisance and may require special management for disposal. It covers a variety of waste types.
Dwelling - A building or any part of a building that forms a separate and self-contained set of premises designed to be occupied by a single person or by people living together as a family or household.
Ecology - The study of organisms in relation to each other and their surroundings.
Economically Active - Persons in whole or part time employment, or seeking employment.
Effluent - Fluid discharged or emitted to the external environment.
Emission - A material that is expelled or released to the environment. Usually applied to gaseous or odorous discharges to the atmosphere.
Employment Exchange Area - A sub-division of a Travel To Work Area which falls within an individual local authority area.
Energy from Waste (EFW) - The burning of waste to create heat that can be used directly or to generate electricity.
Enhancement - Improving the existing qualities of an area, building or structure usually by way of environmental improvements, i.e. the re-roofing of an historic building in more suitable materials, etc.
Environment Agency (Wales) - Statutory Government body whose main responsibilities are to protect and improve the environment, to compile environmental information and promote understanding of the environment.
Environmental Assessment - Under European Directive 85/337 and Welsh Office Circular 23/88 there is a requirement to carry out an environmental assessment by preparing an environmental statement before major development projects with potentially significant environmental effects can be given approval.
Environmental Capacity - The capacity of Monmouthshire and the wider environment to absorb further development without material and irreversible long-term damage to the Council area and its wider environment.
Environmental Impact - The total effect, in both the long- and short-term, of any development on the surrounding environment.
Environmental Improvement - The carrying out of works designed primarily to improve the appearance of an area, may include paving, planting, landscaping, etc.
Environmental Statement - a systematic and comprehensive analysis of the environmental impact of a proposed development presented in non-technical form for public scrutiny.
Fill - Aggregates (usually low grade) used in construction or land reclamation works to create new levels.
Floodplain - The flat area next to a river that becomes covered in water when the river floods.
General Development Order, 1988 - A set of Government regulations which grants permitted development rights for various specified types of development, and governs the making and handling of planning applications and related matters.
Green Lane - A physical description of an unsurfaced track, normally hedged, and often, but not always, of some antiquity. It may be a footpath, bridleway or carriageway or may not even carry any public rights of way at all.
Green Wedge - A ‘long term’ development plan designation that aims to prevent the coalescence of towns and settlements in the County and to protect open prospects of the Monmouthshire Countryside from major transport routes and gateways.
Ground Water - The water that permeates, in an unbroken sheet, the rock masses of the earth, filling their pores and fissures.
Gypsy - "Persons of nomadic habit of life, whatever their race or origin, but does not include members of an organised group of travelling showmen, or of persons engaged in travelling circuses, travelling together as such", as defined by section 24 of the Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act 1960 and amended by section 80 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994.
Hazardous Waste - A general term encompassing difficult and special waste and toxic/dangerous wastes.
High Voltage Power Lines - A power line of 132KV and above.
Historic Landscape - A non-statutory Cadw designation to protect landscapes identified as being of historic importance.
Historic Park and Garden - A non-statutory Cadw designation to protect parks and gardens identified as being of historic importance.
Household Waste - Waste from residential property or from a public hall, place of workshop or the premises of a charitable organisation. It also includes waste arising from local authority efforts to keep roads and other public places clean and free from litter.
Housing Association - A non-profit making organisation registered with Tai Cymru (Housing for Wales) that provides and manages housing for people who cannot afford to buy or rent a home on the open market. This includes families and single people on low incomes, the elderly, people with disabilities, the single homeless and other groups with special needs.
Housing for people in need of care - A variety of residential care facilities including care homes, nursing homes and sheltered and supportive accommodation. These provide for the needs for various groups of people including disabled people, elderly people, mentally ill people, children and mothers and babies
Housing Land Availability - An annual study, co-ordinated by the Land Authority for Wales, which schedules residential land availability, that involves discussion of allocations area by area, the consideration of the likely rate of progress on each site and examination of the problems inhibiting the provision of an adequate supply.
Housing Target - The number of housing units to be provided within the Plan period. Components of the target include housing demand and supply, established by balancing social, economic and environmental considerations, taking into account the extrapolated Gwent Structure Plan and Monmouth Borough Local Plan requirements (Tables 4.1 – 4.3).
Hydrogeology -The study of water below ground.
Hydrology - The study of the way water behaves within an area.
Illuminated advertisement - A sign that is designed or adapted to be lit by artificial lighting, either directly or by reflection.
Implementation - The resources and means by which the UDP’s policies and proposals are ‘put into action’.
Incinerator - An industrial plant where combustible waste materials are burnt to reduce their volume, weight and pollution potential prior to disposal at landfill. Heat recovered in the process may be used directly or to generate electricity.
Incinerator Residue - The solid remains of waste burned in an incinerator together with cooling water.
Industrial Enhancement Area - A local designation where the Council will, subject to the availability of finance and in conjunction with landowners and other agencies, carry out environmental works to improve amenity of older industrial areas within the County.
Industrial Waste - Waste from a factory or industry. It includes premises for the maintenance of vehicles, vessels and aircraft workshops, laboratories, construction and demolition sites, excavation and dredging, poisonous and noxious wastes from certain processes, animal breeding and boarding, scrap metal etc.
Inert Waste - Waste composed or unreactive, low-solubility material generally of natural origin. It is a major component of demolition and construction wastes.
Infill - The filling of a small gap between existing dwellings where the gap is neither prominent in the landscape nor important to the form and character of the settlement or surrounding area, by "cramming" particular frontages, destroying important spaces or the privacy of neighbours and undesirably consolidating ribbons of housing.
Infrastructure - Roads, sewers, power and other physical services required to enable a development to function.
Inspector's Report - The report produced by the Inspector appointed by the Welsh Assembly Government following the Public Local Inquiry. The report contains recommendations on changes to the UDP that should be considered by the Council before it is modified and finally adopted.
Integrated Pollution Control - An approach to pollution control (and prevention) that considers the effects of a process upon the environment as a whole (air, water and land).
Integrated Waste Management - A strategy for the management of waste involving a range of environmentally sound systems and processes, including the promotion of waste minimisation, materials recycling, resource recovery and land filling.
Landfill Gas - A by-product of the anaerobic bacterial digestion of biodegradable matter present in waste deposited at landfill sites. The gas predominantly comprises methane (65%) and carbon dioxide (35%) together with trace concentrations of other gases.
Land-filling - The disposal of waste by its permanent deposition in or on the ground involving usually involving the filling of voids.
Land-raising - The permanent raising of land levels by depositing waste material above existing or original ground levels.
Land users - People who use land for whatever social, environmental or economic purpose.
Land uses - Different sorts or purposes for which the natural or built environment is used. In a formal planning context this is expressed as the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order, 1987.
Leachate - A contaminated liquor generated at landfill sites by the solution in water or other liquids of chemical compounds that are present in the waste and/or arise through the decomposition.
Life Cycle analysis - A technique developed in industry intended to quantify the total environmental impact of a product during its lifetime (production, distribution, use and recycling, treatment or disposal). The technique can be applied to sustainable waste management.
Listed Buildings - Buildings or structures identified by the Welsh Assembly Government as of Special Architectural or Historic Interest. They are protected accordingly as is their setting and building within their curtilage. Special consents are required for building work, including that which may not otherwise require planning permission.
Local Nature Reserve (LNR) - An area of local nature interest, generally local authority owned, leased or managed, and safeguarded for public education and enjoyment.
Local Plan - Statutory Plan prepared by the Local Planning Authority showing details of the constraints and opportunities for the future use of land in the area. The current Adopted Monmouth Borough Local Plan remains a statutory local plan until the UDP is adopted.
Local Planning Authority - Authorities that have a statutory responsibility for controlling the development of land. Local authorities, such as Monmouthshire County Council, are responsible for this function.
Manufacturing Industry - Industries in which the main operation is the extraction/manufacture of minerals & metals and the production of other processed goods.
Materials Recovery Facility - A facility at which mixed recyclable waste is separated manually or mechanically, baled and stored for reprocessing
Mineral Buffer Zone - An area designated between the extraction site and nearby uses to protect the amenity of such uses. The extent of the buffer varies from site to site due to local conditions and extraction practices.
Minerals Planning Authority - Authorities, such as Monmouthshire County Council, which have statutory responsibility for controlling the development of minerals
Minerals - All minerals or substances in or under land of a kind ordinarily worked for removal by underground or surface working, except that it does not include peat cut for purposes other than sale.
Modification Procedure - Following the consideration of the Inspector's Report by the Council all proposed modifications to the UDP and the reasons for them are published to allow for objections and supporting representations to be made on them, usually within a six week period. As a result a further inquiry may be held, but not normally into objections already considered at the first public local inquiry.
Monitoring - Collection and analysis of information required to assess achievement of the UDP’s policies and proposals, against its stated objectives.
Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) - A combination of household waste with those fractions of the commercial waste stream collected by Local Authorities.
National Nature Reserve (NNR) - an area of national nature conservation importance which is owned, leased or managed by the countryside Council for Wales.
National Playing Fields Association - An independent charity established with the aim of ensuring that everyone, especially children, has access to recreational space. The standards it advocates are widely accepted, and are intended to identify the minimum requirement in new development for play space, sport pitches, etc.
New housing land allocations - New housing sites, as determined by the UDP.
Natural environment - A location which has largely been unaltered by the actions of people.
Part M Regulations (Building Control) - The building regulations that cover access to and use of buildings.
Pedestrianisation - The prohibition of vehicular traffic from a part of the highway network and its use reserved for pedestrians. Exceptions may be made for access, orange badge holders, emergency vehicles, buses and for specific time periods.
Permitted Development Rights - As defined by the General Development Order 1988, where certain types of specified development and changes of use are exempt from the need to obtain planning permission.
Permitted void space - The remaining permitted volume at a landfill site
Panoramas - The all-encompassing view of a wide area.
Phasing - The gradual release of land for development over a period of time to meet demand and/or changing planning policies by avoiding a surplus of land, development at a too rapid pace or delays in infrastructure provision.
(The) Plan - Term extensively used in this document as an abbreviation for the Monmouthshire Unitary Development Plan.
Planning agreements - A voluntary legal agreement, legally known as a section 106 agreement, which is entered into by the Council and the developer. This agreement allows better control over the type of development, helping the local authority to get benefits for the local community.
Planning Permission - The giving of a permission by the Local Planning Authority, under the Planning Acts, to carry out "development", usually subject to a time limit on implementation and conditions.
Planning Policy Wales - Guidance which sets out the Welsh Assembly Government’s land use planning policies as they apply in Wales.
Pollution - The addition of materials or energy to an existing environmental system to the extent that undesirable changes are produced directly or indirectly in that system.
Pre-treatment (waste) - The treatment of waste materials prior to a final disposal in order, generally, to reduce their pollution potential, can include incineration, composting and so on.
Prestige Employment User - A high quality, light industrial and or office user within Class B1 of the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 1987, with a high profile image, seeking to proclaim a separate identity and demanding a high quality, low density and well landscaped site adjacent to a motorway junction.
Primary Industry - Agriculture, forestry and fishing and the energy and water supply industries.
Primary Shopping Frontage/Area - The main shopping streets within the Central Shopping Area with a predominance of A1 shops.
Process Residue - The residual waste requiring disposal by land filling following the processing of waste to reduce its volume and weight, recover resources and make it easier to handle, transport and dispose of.
Progressive Restoration - A method of restoring a site or area in phase with working so that the minimum area practicable is out of its former or future use at any one time.
Protected Country Lane - Lanes of historic, nature conservation or landscape value.
Public UDP Inquiry - A formal public inquiry, chaired by an Inspector appointed by the Welsh Assembly Government and held by the Local Planning Authority into the representations received in connection with the UDP.
Public Open Space - Open space to which the public normally have access for the purpose of informal or formal recreation. These can include streets, pedestrian routes, cycleways, parks and other grassed or surfaced areas.
Public Rights of Way - Footpaths, bridleways and by-ways which give members of the public the right to travel across land.
Putrescible Waste - Waste largely composed of material that, due to decomposition or rotting, is potentially polluting. Includes Household and some civic amenity waste together with elements of Commercial and Industrial Waste.
Private sector - Organisations outside of the public sector that largely operate for profit purposes through commerce and trading of a product or service.
Public sector - Organisations which are identified as been as part of local or central government.
Pyrolysis - In pyrolysis, thermal decomposition takes place in the absence of oxygen. The energy efficiency of this process can be high but operational problems and high capital costs limit its economic viability.
Ramsar Site - Wetland of international importance especially as a waterfowl habitat.
Reclamation - Operations which are associated with the winning and working of mineral and which are designed to return the area to an acceptable environmental condition, whether for the resumption of the former land use or for a new use. It includes both restoration and aftercare and events that take place before and after mineral extraction (e.g. correct stripping, and protection of soils); and may also include operations after extraction such as filling and contouring or the creation of planned water areas.
Recovery - Recovering energy or materials, usually comprising recycling, energy from waste or composting.
Recreational buffer zone - An area free of play equipment between an external play area and the nearest residential property. This is to ensure the noise and visual intrusion is minimised for local residents. The distance from the residential property depends on whether the recreational area is a LAP (5m from ground floor windows), a LEAP (20m residential curtilage) or a NEAP (30m residential curtilage).
Recycling - The collection or recovery of reusable materials from waste before it becomes mixed and contaminated in the waste stream, and the subsequent processing of the materials into usable products.
Redundant - A building or structure where there is no reasonable expectation of continuing its present use or a similar use that does not require planning permission.
Rehabilitation - The improvement, renovation or repair of a building or structure to present day standards.
Renewable Energy - The generation of power from renewable sources e.g. the sun, tides, wind etc.
Residential nursing homes - Properties providing supportive accommodation for people in need of 24 hour care.
Residues (waste) -Wastes that are the result of a particular form of treatment.
Resource Recovery - The recovery of materials, fuel or energy from waste after it has become contaminated and mixed in the waste stream.
Restoration (waste) - The process of returning a waste disposal site to its former use or rendering it capable of beneficial after use e.g. forestry or biomass crops.
Restoration Condition - A condition requiring that after operations for the winning and working of minerals have been completed, the site shall be restored by the use of any or all of the following, namely, subsoil, topsoil and soil making materials.
Rounding-Off Site - Small area within a settlement development boundary, almost completely surrounded by buildings, that consolidates the built form without detriment to the wider amenity of the area/village form.
Secondary Aggregates - Materials that do not meet primary aggregate (e.g. sand, gravel and crushed rock) specifications but which can be used in place of primary aggregates in certain circumstances. Secondary aggregates can comprise recycled waste materials (e.g. demolition materials) or be produced as by-products of other processes including the production of primary aggregates (e.g. scalpings and crusher fines).
Scheduled Ancient Monument - Features of archaeological or historic interest as defined by Cadw, and subject to special protection accordingly, includes buildings but also earthworks and other structures. Monuments included in the schedule have statutory protection under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979.
Scheduled Monument Consent - Application procedure for the approval of works affecting Scheduled Monuments and made to Cadw.
Secondary Shopping Frontage/Area - The remainder of the Central Shopping Area not identified as being part of the Primary Shopping Frontage/Area. Characterised by a mix of A1, A2 and A3 retail uses.
Section 106 Obligation - Legal agreement between a Council and an applicant for planning permission (and sometimes third parties) that aims to secure modifications or improvements to development proposals. Section 106 obligations contribute to the planning system operating in the public interest.
Service Sector - Distribution; hotel and catering; transport and communications; financial and business services; central and local government; health, education and welfare; and all other activities which essentially provide a service rather than goods.
Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) - Areas within which special protection is afforded to ecological or geographical features, officially notified by Countryside Council for Wales.
Site of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINC) - can be designated by a local authority where their local importance for nature conservation has been identified by the presence of important habitats or species. Criteria for the selection of SINCs are being prepared with other South Wales authorities and will be adopted by the Council as supplementary planning guidance.
Special Area of Conservation (SAC) – Designated sites in accordance with the European Council Directive on the Conservation of Natural Habitats and of Wild Flora and Fauna.
Special Landscape Area (SLA) - A "long-term" Development Plan landscape designation of County importance, within which priority is given to landscape conservation, and if development is acceptable it should be of the highest standard of design.
Special Protection Areas (SPA) - Designated sites in accordance with the European Council Directive on the Conservation of Wild Birds.
Special Waste - A sub-group of Difficult Waste containing defined quantities of certain Controlled Wastes deemed to be injurious to human health. Special Waste may not be transported without prior notification to the receiving Waste Regulation Authority.
Statutory Plan - A plan that the Local Planning Authority is required to produce by law, i.e. the Monmouthshire County Council UDP.
Structure Plan - Statutory Plan produced by the abolished Gwent County Planning Authority which sets out a strategic policy framework for local plans, having regard to national policies and guidance issued by the Welsh Office. Though the Gwent County Planning Authority was abolished under Welsh Local Government Reorganisation, its Structure Plan remains a statutory plan until the UDP is adopted.
Sub-Division - The splitting of a building or land into more than one unit within the same use class, without making a material change of use.
Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG) - Supporting information and advice which amount to good practice guides on the implementation of various aspects of the UDP e.g. the Council's General Design Guidance.
Sustainability Appraisal - The systematic evaluation of the significance and likely impact of the predicted effects of a proposed development or policy and of the scope for modifying or mitigating those effects.
Sustainable Development - "Continued social and economic development without detriment to the environment and natural resources on the quality of which continued human activity and further development depend" - EC document "Towards Sustainability".
Technical Advice Note (TAN) - Welsh Assembly Government land use planning guidance, specific to a particular topic, such as Joint Housing Land Availability Studies (Technical Advice Note 1).
Three Towns Initiative - A partnership formed between various public, private and community organisations to develop Abergavenny, Monmouth and Chepstow in the face of the recognition that the towns are facing strong competition for business and their traditional market roles.
Town and village development boundaries - Boundaries around towns and certain villages drawn to define areas where planning permission would usually be given for new housing or other suitable forms of development, subject to detailed planning considerations. A full list of the villages where such boundaries have been drawn can be found under policy H3.
Trade Waste - Commercial or Industrial Waste either collected by the County Council or taken to a Civic Amenity Site by a trader. It then becomes the responsibility of the Waste Disposal Authority for treatment and/or disposal.
Travel To Work Area - A close approximation of a self contained labour market with a minimum working population of 3,500 (based on the Census of Population), where 75% of the economically active people in the area both live and work.
Traffic Management - Measures designed to control the use of the highway by controlling vehicle speed, numbers and flow, and giving priority to pedestrians in the interest of safety and improving the visual appearance of the street.
Tree Preservation Order (TPO) - An Order made to protect an individual tree, group of trees or a woodland by requiring specific consent to be obtained to fell, top or lop any tree. It is administered by the Local Planning Authority, unlike a Felling Licence that is the responsibility of the Forestry Authority.
Unitary Development Plan (UDP) - Statutory Plan produced by unitary authorities covering both broad strategic policies for an area (Part 1 of the UDP) and a written statement of detailed land use polices and justification, accompanied with a proposals map showing the policies on a geographical base (Part 2 of the UDP).
Unstable land - Land which is subject to movement due to the existence of slopes, underground cavities or ground compression.
Utility services - Providers of services including gas, electricity, water supply, sewage disposal, postal and some telecommunications services.
Use Classes Order 1987 - A Government Statutory Instrument, which prescribes classes of land use within which certain changes of use may take place without requiring planning permission.
Village shops - Retail premises located within development boundaries of settlements, other than Abergavenny, Monmouth, Chepstow, Caldicot and Usk.
Void space - The capacity of a landfill size, usually expressed in cubic metres.
Voluntary sector - Organisations outside of the public sector that usually operate on a non-profit making basis and aim to assist in public service provision where the public or private sector does not meet this. This includes housing associations or some health care organisations. The voluntary sector may receive funding from the public sector.
Waste - Material is waste if, when disposing of it, or having it disposed of on his behalf, the producer intends to discard or throw it away. Even if the material is reusable, if it is discarded it is still waste. It is the original producer's intention that determines if material is waste.
Waste Hierarchy - a ladder of waste management methods predicted on their sustainability. The hierarchy comprises waste reduction/minimisation (at the top) followed by reuse, then recovery (recycling, energy recovery and composting) and finally disposal (e.g. landfill).
Waste Management Facility - Generic term for any site where waste materials are stored, sorted, processed, pre-treated, recycled or finally disposed of.
Waste Minimisation - The process of reducing the quantity of waste arising and requiring processing and/or disposal.
Waste Planning Authority - The authority responsible for implementation of the provisions of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 in respect of waste planning. Monmouthshire County Council is a waste planning authority.
Waste Transfer Station - A piece of land or a building used in a process involving the transferring of waste materials from smaller receptacles into larger ones without disposing of waste on the site. The larger receptacles are then removed from the site and their contents disposed of elsewhere. The process may or may not involve the recovery of waste materials.
Welsh Development Agency - A Government quango empowered to assist in the regeneration of areas affected by the decline in basic industries through: the provision of industrial land and bespoke units; catering for the expansion of existing firms; partnerships with the private and public sectors; the development of advisory and investment services and the provision of loans; the financing of derelict land reclamation; worldwide marketing; and the grant aiding of environmental improvement schemes.
Welsh Assembly Government Circular - Procedural advice which is given by the Welsh Assembly Government, relating to national planning policy.
Windfall Site - A housing site which comes forward and receives planning consent in a location which was not anticipated or allocated for that purpose.
World Heritage Site (WHS) – This designation creates a national obligation to protect and conserve the world heritage values of the site. No additional statutory controls are imposed through the designation, but it does highlight the outstanding importance of the site as a material consideration to be taken into account in the determination of planning applications.