Area Action Plans (AAP) - These site-specific plans will provide the planning policy framework  for key areas of opportunity, change and/or conservation.

Area of Deprivation - There are many ways of measuring the different aspects of deprivation which affect different areas. The Index of Multiple Deprivation combines different aspects of deprivation (including income, employment, health and education) into a single deprivation score which can then be ranked nationally and locally.

Annual Monitoring Report (AMR) - Prepared each year to assess the implementation of the policies and targets set out in the Development Plan. The Borough currently produces a Residential & Employment Land Availability monitoring statement for each financial year.

B1 employment use - Offices, research and development, light industry

B2 employment use - General Industrial

B8 employment use - Storage and distribution

Chain of conformity - This term describes the relationship between documents, plans and policies and how closely they must correspond with one another and reflect other planning strategies and policies. 'Conformity' can take a number of forms ranging from 'having regard to' to 'must conform to'.

Community Strategy - Local Authorities are required by the Local Government Act 2000 to prepare Community Strategies, with the aim of improving the social, environmental and economic well-being of their areas. Through the Community Plan, authorities are expected to co-ordinate the actions of the local public, private, voluntary and community sectors through the establishment of a Local Strategic Partnership.

Core Strategy - The Core Strategy sets out the vision, spatial strategy and objectives for the district.  All other local development documents should be in general conformity with the Core Strategy.

Development Briefs - Prepared by the council or sometimes developers to inform the appropriate development of a specific site. They are usually produced for large sites and/or where there is to be a mix of uses on a site. The council must adopt a Development Brief in order for it to be formally recognised. They are used by developers when preparing planning applications.

Development Plans - Sets out the council’s policies and proposals for the development and use of land in the Borough. The Development Plan guides day to day decisions as to whether or not planning permission should be granted. This system is known as Development Control. The Development Plan for an area is not always a single plan. In Hinckley & Bosworth, the Development Plan is made up of the Leicestershire, Leicester & Rutland Structure Plan and the Borough Local Plan.

Development Plan Documents (DPD) - Any part of the LDF that forms part of the statutory development plan e.g. the Core Strategy, site-specific allocations of land, area action plans and the proposals map.

Government Office for the East Midlands (GOEM) - Regional Government Office (based in Nottingham) responsible for implementing national policy in the region and ensuring LPA policy and plans accord with national guidance.

Independent Public Examination - An examination chaired by an independent Planning Inspector into the soundness of the DPDs, SCI and the LDF as a whole.

Issues and Option Consultation Stage - Before a draft DPD is prepared the Borough Council will consult stakeholders on the issues that need to be considered and the possible options available for inclusion in the DPD. This process will be informed by the evidence base studies undertaken by the LPA, the strategic planning framework and the need to ensure the resultant DPD is sound in terms of sustainable development.

Local Development Document (LDD) - The individual documents that set out planning policies and guidance for the Borough for specific topics or for the geographical areas.

Local Development Framework (LDF) - The collective name given to all those policies and documents forming the planning framework for the Borough including DPDs, SPDs, proposals map SCI, LDS and AMR.

Local Development Scheme (LDS) - The project management document setting out the programme for preparing the LDDs and proposals for monitoring and review.

Local Plan - The existing adopted statutory plan for the Borough, Hinckley and Bosworth Local Plan 1991-2006, which sets out the detailed policies for development and its control and proposals for particular areas/sites. As DPDs are adopted they will replace parts of the Local Plan.

Local Planning Authority (LPA) - The name given to the council that has responsibility for local planning matters. In Hinckley and Bosworth this is the Borough Council.

Planning Inspector - The Inspector is independent and is appointed by the Government to oversee the Public Local Inquiry and Planning Appeals. The Inspector’s role is to hear all sides of an argument and to advise/decide on the appropriate outcome.

Planning Policy Guidance/Statement (PG/PPS) - These are subject specific Government advice and policies on national land-use in England. PPSs are being phased in to supersede PPGs.

Regional Planning Body (RPB) - The regional body responsible for preparing the Regional Spatial Strategy, which forms part of the statutory development plan. For Hinckley and Bosworth this is the East Midlands Regional Assembly (EMRA).

Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) - Overarching strategy document produced by the Regional Planning Body. The RSS  provides a spatial framework to inform the preparation of the LDF and will form part of the Statutory Development Plan.

Soundness -All Local Development Documents will have to be tested for 'soundness' as part of the examination process. For LDDs to be 'sound' they must meet minimum standards of community involvement as are laid down in regulations, have been properly appraised for sustainability and conform with national planning policy and the Regional Spatial Strategy. They must also be coherent and consistent with the core strategy & effective, so they are able to deliver results.

Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) - A document that sets out the standards to which the LPA will engage and consult the public and other stakeholders during the production of the LDF and when dealing with planning applications.

Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) - An assessment of the potential impacts of policies and proposals on the environment  to include proposals for the mitigation of impacts.

Structure Plan - Produced by the County Council and set out key strategic policies, e.g. the number of houses that need to be built in the Borough, as a framework for the Local Plan.

Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) - Elaborate upon the policies and proposals contained in DPDs but do not have their statutory status. SPD is subject to Sustainability Appraisal.

Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG) - Predecessor to SPD and performs the same function under the old system. SPG emphasises ideas and policies that are referred to in the Local Plan.

Sustainable Development/Sustainability - When making decisions in relation to land uses, local authorities have a duty to ensure that a development is sustainable. This means that a development or activity must meet the needs of people today without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

Sustainability Appraisal (SA) - An assessment of the social, economic and environmental impacts of the policies and proposals of each LDD.

Windfall sites - Sites developed for housing that are not allocated for that purpose in the adopted Local Plan.