12. Glossary of Terms

Word, Phrase or Abbreviation

Long Form if Applicable

Meaning

access points

Relates to points of access to a property or development

active travel networks

Networks of pathways, cycle routes etc designed to increase physical activity

AECOM

Architecture, Engineering, Consulting, Operations, and Maintenance

A multinational company that provides site assessment and other planning technical assistance

anaerobic digesters

Break down organic material to provide energy

AONB

Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty

Area of countryside which has been designated for conservation due to its significant landscape value.

AONB colouration study chart

Document that provides direction and guidance on the selection and use of colour in development within the High Weald AONB

balanced flue chimney

Chimney for fire appliance where air for combustion is drawn in via outer pipe and inner pipe removes smoke

biodiversity impact calculator

Tool used to measure the biodiversity value of a site

biomass facility

Facility used to manage energy or heat production from plant and animal material

blue infrastructure

Landscape elements that are linked to water, such as pools, ponds etc

braided routes

Usually cycles routes, these are flatter and smoother offering greater accessibility

brown field site

Previously developed sites that are not currently in use.

build outs

Work done to bring a construction or development project to completion

C&SPC

Cranbrook and Sissinghurst Parish Council

CA

Conservation Area

An area considered worthy of preservation or enhancement, protected by law

CCAA

Cranbrook Conservation Area Appraisal

Supplementary planning document prepared by TWBC in partnership with local people to provide a firm basis upon which proposals for development in the Cranbrook Conservation Area can be assessed.

CCAAC

Cranbrook Conservation Area Advisory Committee

The committee, made up of local people including parish councillors and experts, that advise interested parties regarding the Conservation Area

coalescence

Relating to planning, this refers to two or more built areas merging

CODS

Cranbrook Operatic & Dramatic Society

A local amateur theatre group that put on local drama shows

CPRE

Campaign to Protect Rural England

Organisation that works to protect, promote, and enhance our towns and countryside

Cranbrook in Bloom

Volunteer group that work to beautify Cranbrook and regularly enter the town into Britain in Bloom and similar competitions

Crane Valley re-wilding area

Area in Crane Valley that is being returned to a wild state

cupola

Relatively small, most often dome-like, tall structure on top of a building.

curtilage

In law, the curtilage of a house or dwelling is the land immediately surrounding it, including any strongly associated buildings and structures

dark Buffers

A design requirement of the developer to allow protective buffers of land left without lighting (dark) to protect the biodiversity

DEFRA

Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs

UK government department responsible for safeguarding our natural environment, supporting our world-leading food and farming industry, and sustaining a thriving rural economy

design code

A set of illustrated design rules and requirements which instruct and may advise on the physical development of a site or area. The graphic and written components of the code are detailed and precise and build upon a design vision such as a masterplan or other design and development framework for a site or area

design guide (housing & design)

A set of rules and requirements specifically for any new house, including building materials, design ideals etc

discounted purchase

An affordable housing model, the discount would come with conditions

district level licensing scheme

To help support Greater Crested Newts habitats this scheme allows developers to pay into a central fund for regional mitigation as an alternative to funding their own individual mitigation measures

drove ways

A route that was used for droving livestock on foot from one place to another, such as to market or between summer and winter pasture

eco design guide

A set of rules and requirements to help make the design and building of a house as environmentally friendly as possible

ecological connectivity

The degree to which similar facets of the landscape such as habitats or vegetation patches are interconnected to facilitate movements of plants, animals, and the attendant ecological processes

ecological resilience

In ecology, resilience is the capacity of an ecosystem to respond to a perturbation or disturbance by resisting damage and recovering quickly

economical critical mass

Critical mass is the point at which a growing company becomes self-sustaining, and no longer needs additional investment to remain economically viable

fascia

An architectural term for a vertical frieze or band under a roof edge, or which forms the outer surface of a cornice, visible to an observer

geocaching

Geocaching is an outdoor recreational activity, in which participants use a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver or mobile device and other navigational techniques to hide and seek containers, called “geocaches” or “caches”, at specific locations marked by coordinates all over the world

gills

Generic term for a narrow valley

grade 1 listing

Buildings of exceptional interest

grade 2

Buildings that are of special interest, warranting every effort to preserve them

grade 2 *

Particularly important buildings of more than special interest

green field site

Previously undeveloped sites usually fields or woodland

green infrastructure

A network providing the “ingredients” for solving urban and climatic challenges by building with nature

green spaces

Local Green Space designation is a way to provide special protection against development for green areas of particular importance to local communities

hereditament

Any kind of property that can be inherited

heritage trail

A walking route which connects various sights of local interest

HGV

Heavy Goods Vehicle

Larger vehicles used primarily for the transport of goods

hierarchy pattern

The pattern is the shape and form of fields delineated by their boundaries

High Weald

The AONB. This is a medieval landscape of wooded, rolling hills studded with sandstone outcrops; small, irregular-shaped fields; scattered farmsteads; and ancient routeways. The 1461km2 area covers parts of Kent, Sussex, and Surrey at the heart of South East England

High Weald colour study

Document that provides direction and guidance on the selection and use of colour in development within the High Weald AONB

High Weald landscape trail

The High Weald Landscape Trail crosses the counties of West Sussex, East Sussex and Kent providing an opportunity to explore the heart of south-east England

High Weald partnership

The team who work on behalf of the High Weald Joint Advisory Committee along with partners that include the Heritage Lottery Fund, Forestry Commission, Woodland Trust, RSPB, and Environment Agency

Historic England

The public body that helps people care for, enjoy, and celebrate England’s spectacular historic environment

home zones

A living street (or group of streets) as implemented in the United Kingdom, which are designed primarily to meet the needs of pedestrians, cyclists, children, and residents and where the speeds and dominance of the cars is reduced

hop pickers line

The Paddock Wood to Hawkhurst branch railway, which was closed in 1961, used a lot to bring hop pickers to the area

hoppers huts

Temporary accommodation provided for hop-pickers on English farms in the 19th and 20th centuries

hybrid housing

Intentionally designed to contain both residential and business space, and in which residents occupy and manage both spaces

IDSA

International Dark Sky Association

The International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) is the recognized authority on light pollution and is the leading organization combating light pollution worldwide

infill

Infill is the urban planning term for the rededication of land in an urban environment, usually open space, to new construction

inned river valley

In the High Weald context are anciently enclosed flood plains

KCC

Kent County Council

Our local county council

KCC Highways

Kent County Council Highways

The KCC body responsible for most roadways in Kent

Kent Highways

Another name for KCC Highways

key connections

Refers to transport connections of importance, train stations, motorway junctions etc

LBD

Limit of Built Development

Identifies the area within which development proposals would be acceptable, subject to complying with other policies contained in the Development Plan. They seek to prevent development from gradually extending into the surrounding countryside

lighting zonation

Details of lighting as part of developments

live-work unit

A space that combines a workspace with living quarters

LNR

Local Nature Reserve

A nature reserve that is of local importance, either to protect a site of special scientific interest, or specific species

low heat transfer glazing

A type of energy-efficient glass designed to prevent heat escaping out through your windows to the cold outdoors

low weald

A broad, low-lying clay vale which largely wraps around the northern, western, and southern edges of the High Weald

lux limits

The limit of how bright lighting should be

LWS

Local Wildlife sites

Simply a shortened version of this phrase

MAGIC

Map and Geographic Information Centre

The MAGIC website provides geographic information about the natural environment from across government. The information covers rural, urban, coastal, and marine environments across Great Britain

mags/arcsec2

This measurement relates to luminosity and brightness that an object gives off which is the measurement used by the Sky Quality Meter to register amount of light pollution at a specific place

Mb/s

Megabytes per second

Units of data transfer speed

micro interventions to pavements

Minor treatments to repair or maintain pavements designed to extend the life of the pavement

mitigation hierarchy

A tool that guides users towards limiting the negative impacts on biodiversity from development projects

Molen Biotoop

Windmill living space, the area around a windmill affected by and affecting the windmill

NDP

Neighbourhood Development Plan

A document written by the local community that sets out planning policies for the area

NPPF

National Planning Policy Framework

All national level planning laws etc that need to be adhered to

OFGEM

The Office of Gas and Energy Markets

The government regulator for the electricity and downstream natural gas markets in Great Britain

ONS

Office of National Statistics

The national statistical service of the United Kingdom

opaque envelope

The physical separator between the conditioned and unconditioned environment of a building including the resistance to air, water, heat, light, and noise transfer

Passivhaus standard

Voluntary building performance standard that anyone setting out to build a low-energy home might be interested in

permeable layouts

Describes development layout the extent to which urban forms permit (or restrict) movement of people or vehicles in different directions

PROW

Public Right of Way

Any footpath, or roadway, to which everyone has access rights

public realm

The external places in our parish that are open to the public

riparian buffer zone

A vegetated area (a “buffer strip”) near a stream, usually forested, which helps shade and partially protect the stream from the impact of adjacent land uses

river catchment

The area drained by a river or body of water. Also called catchment basin

RNR

Roadside Nature Reserve

Our local RNR is the Kent and Medway Road Verge Project, established in 1994, works to identify, protect, and manage road verges which contain threatened habitats or wildlife. These are marked by special signs

roofscape

A view of the rooftops of a town, city, etc

S106

Section 106 Agreement

This is a legal obligation entered into by developers to mitigate the impacts of a development proposal

SCAA

Sissinghurst Conservation Area Appraisal

Supplementary planning document prepared by TWBC in partnership with local people to provide a firm basis upon which proposals for development in the Sissinghurst Conservation Area can be assessed

self-build

A self-build is an individual house that has been commissioned by an individual homeowner to perfectly fit their exact requirements and tastes

self-completing

An affordable housing model, where legal processes complete automatically

self-finish

Like self-build, this allows a buyer to tailor a standard house to better match their own requirements

shared ownership

An affordable housing model where buyers can part own and part rent a property

shared spaces

An urban design approach that minimises the segregation between modes of road user

shaws

A strip of woodland usually between 5 and 15 metres (15 and 50 feet) wide. Shaws commonly form boundaries between fields or line a road

shelter belt pattern

A planting usually made up of one or more rows of trees or shrubs planted in such a manner as to provide shelter from the wind and to protect soil from erosion

CIL

Community Infrastructure Levy

This is a legal obligation entered into by developers to mitigate the impacts of a development proposal and is a method of obtaining finance from developers for new ‘local infrastructure’

social prescribing

Sometimes referred to as community referral, is a means of enabling GPs, nurses, and other primary care professionals to refer people to a range of local, non-clinical services

Spatial volume marker

A marker erected by developers on in-fill sites to enable neighbours to understand and respond to spatial and visual impact

SQM

Sky Quality Meter

An instrument used to measure the luminance of the night sky

SSSI

Site of Special Scientific Interest

A conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom. These are the basic building block of site-based nature conservation legislation and most other legal nature/geological conservation designations in the United Kingdom are based upon them, including national nature reserves

stall risers

On a shop front, this is the panel below the window which raises the window up from ground level

superfast broadband

Superfast broadband refers to broadband connections of at least 30Mbps in the UK, according to Ofcom. Superfast connections enable users to browse the internet, download music or video, and stream television at speeds that are massively higher than most internet users

sustainable housing

Housing that creates less waste, more re-use and recycling, together with lower life-cycle environmental impacts and costs, better reliability, less maintenance, and greater user satisfaction

sustainable transport/travel methods

Refers to the broad subject of transport that is sustainable in the senses of social, environmental and climate impacts

Sustrans document

sustainable transport document prepared by the Sustrans charity organisation

A reference document detailing sustainable transport options

sweeps

Sails of windmill

Swiss model

Alternative name of Passivhaus standard. A voluntary building performance standard that anyone setting out to build a low-energy home might be interested in

tenure

Refers to the various ways that you can own or rent a property

tenure blind

A development where multiple tenure types are available but there is little difference in the size and style of housing

thermal bridges

Also called a cold bridge, heat bridge, or thermal bypass, is an area or component of an object which has higher thermal conductivity than the surrounding materials

TWBC

Tunbridge Wells Borough Council

Our local borough council, our primary planning authority

twittern

A narrow alleyway, usually between building

veteran trees

Or legacy tree is a tree which, because of its great age, size or condition, is of exceptional cultural, landscape or nature conservation value.

village gateway marking

Helps to create ‘a sense of place’ when drivers enter the village, and the physical measures are designed such that drivers are required to slow down before entry

Vision 2034

This is the AONB partnerships vision for the High Weald AONB in 20 years’ time

wellbeing in the Weald

Local volunteer group that organise new and promote existing wellbeing activities in the Weald including community walks, lunch clubs, choirs, volunteering, and other social activities that bring people together on a regular basis

WGCAA

Wilsley Green Conservation Area Appraisal

Supplementary planning document prepared by TWBC in partnership with local people to provide a firm basis upon which proposals for development in the Wilsley Green Conservation Area can be assessed