A segment of the housing market where a proportion of housing is targeted at or reserved for those people who are unable to compete effectively in the existing market for housing in the area. The term covers a spectrum of providers and tenures including public sector, housing association, joint ventures, and owner-occupation. Affordable housing is not necessarily low cost housing.

Best Practical Environmental Option (BPEO)

The Best Practicable Environmental Option is the outcome of a systematic consultative and decision-making procedure, which emphasises the protection and conservation of the environment. It attempts to find 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.

This term is derived from "biological diversity", and simply means the variety of life and great richness of living things in the natural world.

These are normally sites within settlements, which have previously been developed or used for some purpose that has ceased. They may encompass re-use of existing buildings by conversion; demolition and newbuild; clearance of vacant or derelict land and newbuild; infill and various other forms of intensification. They exclude private and public gardens, sports and recreation grounds, woodlands and amenity open space.

A high quality multi-user business site with a range of activities. It would normally be developed in accord with a masterplan to especially high architectural and environmental standards.

The ability of an area or resource to absorb demands made of it without reduction of its integrity in the longer term.

Statements of Government policy containing guidance on policy implementation through legislative or procedural change.

Areas on either side of and served by the main road, rail and public transport routes.

The integration of employment, housing and services in a hierarchy of settlements in such a way that viable services are available in the most effective way for everyone.

Areas of special architectural or historic interest, the character or appearance of which it is desirable to preserve and enhance.

Statutory Development Plans consist of two parts: the structure plan, which provides strategic locational guidance, and the local plan, which expresses specific planning policy guidance and advice for development in each locality.

Effective Housing Land Supply

This is part of the established land supply that is free or expected to be free of constraints in the 5 year period under consideration, and will therefore be available for construction of houses.

This includes land for general industrial and business/office use, storage and distribution uses, business parks and specialist technology parks including research and development uses. This comprises Classes 4, 5 and 6 of the 1997 Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) (Scotland) Order, but is not exclusive to these uses.

Any process or development that combines an optimal balance of working with nature, energy and resource efficiency, and respect for the essential character of places and for the people who are going to use them.

A total count of site capacities arising from the following sources: the remaining capacity of sites under construction; sites with planning consent; sites in adopted local plans; and where appropriate other buildings and land with agreed potential for housing development.

Functional Flood Plain

The unobstructed or active areas where water regularly flows in time of flood. In these areas built development should be wholly exceptional and limited to essential transport and utilities infrastructure.

These are sites which have never previously been developed or used for an urban use, or are on fully restored derelict land that has been brought back into active or beneficial use for agriculture or forestry.

This is a geographical area which is relatively self-contained in terms of reflecting people’s choice of location for a new home i.e. a large percentage of people settling in the area will have sought a house only in that area.

An area of undeveloped land within a settlement boundary, as defined in a local plan, that can be developed without damaging the amenity or character of the surrounding area. This does not include private or public gardens, sports or recreation grounds, woodlands or amenity open space.

The roads, sewers, water mains, schools, supplies of gas and electricity, and other installations and services needed to allow development to take place.

Any building included in the statutory "list of buildings of special architectural or historic interest". The term "building" is defined broadly in the legislation and can include (for example) walls, fountains, sundials, statues, bridges, bandstands and telephone boxes.

Homes built to a standard that allows adaptation to suit the needs of the occupant, for instance, if the occupant becomes disabled or elderly.

A statutory document prepared and adopted by each local planning authority (in the case of the North East, Aberdeen or Aberdeenshire Council), providing specific planning policy guidance and advice for development in each locality in conformity with the structure plan.

Title used to describe the aspiration for railway improvement including new stations and a regular train service principally between Inverurie, Aberdeen and Stonehaven

Employment land that is available for development, subject to meeting a number of detailed criteria, which are set down in Annex 1 of NPPG 2 (on Business and Industry) and specified in the Report of Survey’s Addendum.

A description for the integrated set of transport measures identified by the North East Scotland Economic Development Partnership in the year 2000 as the most appropriate means of achieving the common set of objectives for the development of the North East, including the objectives of the structure plan.

A series of governmental publications that provide statements of Scottish Executive policy on nationally important land use and other planning matters, supported where appropriate by a locational framework.

A scheme whereby a vehicle (usually a car) is parked at a purpose-built car park and the occupants transfer to public transport for the onward journey.

A series of governmental notes on planning issues that provide advice on good practice and other relevant information.

The principle that Authorities should act prudently to avoid the possibility of irreversible environmental damage in situations where the scientific evidence for acting is inconclusive, but the potential environmental damage could be significant.

A Scheduled Ancient Monument is an archaeological site of national importance, and which has been given legal protection under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979. Many other sites, also considered to be of national importance, though not yet scheduled, are listed on a non-statutory register.

Any built-up area with a community function, ranging from the city of Aberdeen down to the smallest village that contains at least some viable services.

The provision of adequate accessibility to housing, services and employment opportunities for everyone.

Potential, but as yet unidentified, sites likely to emerge during the plan period from within the existing urban fabric.