5
Glossary
Accreditation Network UK (ANUK)
ANUK is a network of professional and organisations that promotes accreditation in private rented residential accommodation. It was formed in response to the increasing popularity of accreditation across the UK May 2002 to publicise, promote and share good practice in accreditation.
Belfast City Centre Regeneration and Investment Strategy (BCCRIS)
The Belfast City Centre Regeneration and Investment Strategy (BCCRIS) is a non-statutory Strategy outlining how we the Council aims to grow and regenerate the city core and its surrounding areas to 2030.
BREEAM (Building Research Establishment's Environmental Assessment Method)
BREEAM is an internationally recognised method of assessing, rating, and certifying the sustainability masterplanning projects, infrastructure and buildings. It promotes best practice for all aspects of sustainable property development using independent, licensed assessors to rate developments against scientifically based criteria covering a range of issues in categories that evaluate energy and water use, health and wellbeing, pollution, transport, materials, waste, ecology and management processes.
City Corridors
Key routes into and out of the city, typically characterised by a mix of uses fronting onto a busy road, some passing through important Local Centres.
Code for Sustainable Homes
The Code for Sustainable Homes is a UK national method for rating and certifying the sustainable design and construction of new homes. It covers nine categories of sustainable design including energy and CO2 emissions, water, materials, surface water run-off, waste, pollution, health and well-being, management and ecology.
Disability Discrimination Act (DDA)
Disability Discrimination Act 1995 is an Act to make it unlawful to discriminate against disabled persons in connection with employment, the provision of goods, facilities and services or the disposal or management of premises; to make provision about the employment of disabled persons; and to establish a National Disability Council.
Higher Education Institutions (HEIs)
Universities, colleges and further education institutions offering and delivering higher education.
Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA)
HESA, the Higher Education Statistics Agency collect, assure and disseminate data about higher education (HE) in the UK on behalf of their statutory customers. They work with HE providers in each of the four nations, collaborating with them to collect and curate one of the world’s leading HE data sources.
House in Multiple Occupation (HMO)
A house in multiple occupation is a property rented out by at least three people who are not from one ‘household’ (e.g. a family) but share facilities like the bathroom and kitchen.
Housing Management Areas (HMAs)
Areas designated under Policy HOU10 in which certain types and sizes of housing, including HMOs and conversions to self-contained flats through the sub-division of larger residential units, will be carefully managed to help to meet the diverse needs of all the community.
Intensive Housing Node (IHN)
Areas which seek to prioritise locations with good sustainable transport connectivity and strong access to employment and educational opportunity, such as appropriate locations within the city centre, local centres, close to rail stations or halts and on city corridors. Intensive housing nodes will be designated within the Local Policies Plan (LPP).
Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA)
NISRA is an Agency of the Department of Finance. NISRA is the principal source of official statistics and social research on Northern Ireland. These statistics and research inform public policy and associated debate in the wider society.
Pre-Application Community Consultation (PACC)
A statutory requirement for specific community consultation that prospective applicants must undertake with communities for certain types of development. Development proposals fall into three categories – regionally significant, major and local. All application for regionally significant or major developments submitted on or after 01 July 2015 must comply with the PACC process. Pre-application consultation does not replace the opportunity, or remove the need, for communities and individuals to make formal comments on proposals during the planning application process.
Pre-application Discussion (PAD)
A service offered by the Council prior to lodging a planning application to give a better chance of getting planning permission. A PAD should improve the quality of the proposal, reduce the time it takes to determine the application, and give peace of mind that you are on the right lines before making a planning application. There may be a fee for this service.
Proposal of Application Notification (PAN)
For major development proposals, developers are required to submit a ‘Proposal of Application Notice’ 12 weeks before submitting a formal planning application, explaining how they will engage with the local community. The Council then has 21 days to consider the proposal and can either confirm their acceptance of the proposal or direct the applicant to modify their approach.
Purpose Built Managed Student Accommodation (PBMSA)
PBMSA is accommodation that is built, or converted, with the specific intent of being occupied by students undertaking a full-time course of higher or further education – either individual en-suite units or sharing facilities. The inclusion of the word ‘managed’ highlights the importance of such accommodation being centrally supervised by the developer/landlord to provide welfare support for students and to ensure compliance with any code of conduct or tenancy agreements, etc.
Regional Development Strategy (RDS)
The spatial strategy of the Executive, which sets out policies for the delivery of the spatial aspects of the Programme for Government. It provides an overarching strategic planning framework to facilitate and guide the public and private sectors, influencing the future distribution of development throughout the Region.
Strategic Planning Policy Statement (SPPS) for Northern Ireland
The SPPS is a statement of the Department of Environment’s policy on important planning matters that should be addressed across Northern Ireland. It identifies the objective of the planning system as being to secure the orderly and consistent development of land whilst furthering sustainable development and improving well-being. Its provisions must be taken into account in the preparation of Local Development Plans (LDPs) and are material to all decisions on individual planning applications and appeals.
Statement of Community Involvement (SCI)
The requirement to produce a Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) was introduced in the Planning Act 2011. The Planning (Statement of Community Involvement) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015 sets out the process by which this should be done.
Student Accommodation
A generic term that covers all forms of housing suitable for occupation by student, including both HMOs and PBMSA.
Sui Generis
A Latin phrase literally meaning "of its own kind; in a class by itself; unique". It is used in planning to refer to developments that do not fall within a specific class of the Planning (Use Classes) Order (NI) 2015.
Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG)
Guidance to support, clarify and/or illustrate by example planning policy statements and plans. This can take the form of design guides or guides prepared for Conservation Areas and the suite of DCANs. Where relevant to a particular development proposal supplementary planning guidance will be taken into account as a material consideration in making decisions.
Unipol
ANUK/Unipol Code of Standards for Larger Residential Developments for student accommodation managed and controlled by educational establishments. The Code establishes a set of management standards for all residential developments managed and controlled by educational establishments (with the exception of head leased properties) and specifies appropriate controls to ensure that the particular needs of students are delivered effectively.
