Bradford District Local Plan - Publication Draft (Regulation 19) (October 2026)

Affordable Housing

Housing for sale or rent, for those whose needs are not met by the market (including housing that provides a subsidised route to home ownership and/or is for essential local workers or national military housing needs); and which complies with one or more of the following definitions:

• Social Rent
• Other affordable housing for rent
• Discounted market sales housing
• Other affordable routes to home ownership
• Military affordable housing

Area Action Plan (AAP)

A Development Plan Document, which focuses on a specific part of the district. They focus on the implementation of policies towards conservation, change and opportunities (for example a major regeneration project with new housing).

Authority Monitoring Report (AMR)

A report produced by a local planning authority that assesses the progress and the effectiveness of specified planning policies in development plan documents. It also includes a review of the Local Development Scheme’s timetable.

Brownfield Land

See Previously Developed Land.

Core Strategy

This is the current adopted development plan for the Bradford District. It sets out the vision, strategic objectives and strategic policies to guide the pattern and level of development.

Development Plan

Development Plan is defined in section 38 of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004, and includes adopted spatial development strategies, adopted local plans, adopted minerals and waste plans, adopted supplementary plans, neighbourhood plans that have been made and published and the policies maps for the area. Neighbourhood plans that have been approved at referendum are also part of the development plan, unless the local planning authority decides that the neighbourhood plan should not be made.

Development Plan Documents (DPD)

DPDs are the documents which make up the Local Plan.

Employment Need Assessment and Land Review (ELR)

This evidence-base study provides information on the demand for, and the available supply of, land for employment use. It looks at jobs growth and converts this into a land requirement.

Equality Impact Assessment (EQIA)

This is a process designed to ensure that a policy, project or scheme does not discriminate against any disadvantaged or vulnerable people within society.

Evidence Base

A collection of technical studies on various topics such as housing, employment, environment, transport. These are used to inform the preparation of the policies in the Local Plan.

Green Belt

An area of open land defined on the policies map of the Local Plan which has been designated in line with national policy where strict controls are placed on development in order to check the unrestricted sprawl of large built-up areas, safeguard the countryside from encroachment, prevent neighbouring towns from merging into one another, preserve the special character of historic towns, and assist in urban regeneration.

Greenfield Land

Land that has not previously been developed. (Also see definition for Previously Developed Land).

Gypsy and Traveller Community

Persons of nomadic habit of life whatever their race or origin, including such persons who on grounds only of their own or their family’s or dependants’ educational or health needs or old age have ceased to travel temporarily, but excluding members of an organised group of travelling show people or circus people travelling together as such.

Health Impact Assessment

This is a process designed to ensure that a policy, project or scheme does not discriminate against any disadvantaged or vulnerable people within society with regards to health matters.

Historic England (HE)

HE is a public body that helps people care for, enjoy and celebrate England's spectacular historic environment.

Habitats Regulations Assessment

The Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017 (as amended) require local planning authorities to assess the impact of their local plan on the internationally important nature conservation sites in and around their administrative areas. The task is achieved by means of a Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA). Sites that are relevant to the assessment are ‘European sites’ and include Special Areas of Conservation (SACs), Special Protection Areas (SPAs) and Ramsar sites. These European sites are the top tier of protected sites in the UK.

Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD)

The IMD is the official measure of relative deprivation for small areas in England. It is the most widely used of the Indices of Deprivation (IoD). The IMD combines the individual seven domains (Income; Employment; Education, Skills & Training; Health Deprivation and Disability; Crime; Barriers to Housing and Services; Living Environment) to produce an overall relative measure of deprivation.

Leeds City Region (LCR)

The LCR covers 10 districts in West, North and South Yorkshire. The LCR partnership supports the economic development of the area.

Local Development Document (LDD)

These are the individual documents that make up the Local Plan. They comprise of Development Plan Documents, Supplementary Planning Documents and the Statement of

Community Involvement.

Local Development Scheme (LDS)

This document sets out the timetable for the preparation of the Local Plan.

Local Geodiversity Sites (LGSs)

LGSs are protected in the same way as important biological sites, to recognise and protect the importance of certain landforms.

Local Housing Need

The number of homes identified as being needed through the application of the standard method set out in national planning guidance, or a justified alternative approach.

Local Plan

A plan for the future development of the local area. It provides policies which are used to determine planning applications. It identifies how much development will take place over the next 18 years and where this will occur. It allocates sites to be developed.

Local Planning Authority (LPA)

The public authority whose duty it is to carry out specific planning functions for a particular area.

Localism Act

A major legislative framework, which included wide-ranging changes to local government, housing and planning. Significantly, the Act abolished regional planning and introduced Neighbourhood Plans as part of the development plan.

Major development

Defined as 10 or more dwellings or where the number of residential units is not given in the application, a site area of 0.5 hectares or more. For all other developments the creation of 1000 square meters or more floorspace or where the site area is 1 hectare or more.

Minor development

Defined as between 1 and 9 dwellings or where the number of residential units is not given in the application, a site area of less than 0.5 hectare. For all other developments the floorspace to be built is less than 1,000 square meters or the site area is less than 1 hectare.

National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF)

The NPPF set out the Government’s planning policies for England and how these should be applied. It provides a framework within which locally prepared plans for housing and other development can be produced.

National Planning Practice Guidance (NPPG)

The NPPG provides additional guidance on how the policies in the NPPF should be applied. It also provides guidance on how evidence-base documents should be prepared.

Neighbourhood Development Plan (NDP)

The Localism Act (2011) will allow Neighbourhood Forums and Parish Councils to use new neighbourhood planning powers to establish general planning policies for the development and use of land in their area. This will be known legally as a Neighbourhood Development Plan.

Office for National Statistics (ONS)

ONS is the executive office of the UK Statistics Authority and is the UK Government's single largest statistical producer. ONS produces independent information to improve our understanding of the UK's economy and society.

Previously Developed Land (PDL), also known as Brownfield

Land which is or was occupied by a permanent structure, including the curtilage of the developed land (although it should not be assumed that the whole of the curtilage should be developed) and any associated fixed surface infrastructure. This excludes: land that is or was last occupied by agricultural or forestry buildings; land that has been developed for minerals extraction or waste disposal by landfill, where provision for restoration has been made through development management procedures; land in built-up areas such as residential gardens, parks, recreation grounds and allotments; and land that was previously developed but where the remains of the permanent structure or fixed surface have blended into the landscape.

Retail and Leisure Study

This study will provide up-to-date information on the current and future capacity for retail and leisure development within the District.

Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs)

An SSSI is an area that has been identified under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 as an area of special interest. Related to the natural heritage of wildlife habitats, geological or physiological features of the site.

Special Area of Conservation (SACs)

SACs are designated sites that protect internationally important natural habitats and species. See Habitats Regulations Assessment.

Special Protection Area (SPAs)

SPAs are designated sites that protect the conservation of wild birds, also known as the Birds Directive. See Habitats Regulations Assessment

Statement of Community Involvement

The S C I is a statutory document that sets out how and when the Council will carry out consultation and effectively engage with communities in carrying out its planning duties.

Strategic Land Assessment (SLA)

An evidence base document which assesses the availability, suitability and achievability of potential housing and employment sites. It is used to provide an indication of the scale, nature and distribution of housing land across the district.

Sustainability Appraisal (SA)

A SA is required by legislation and assesses all the policies in the development plan. This includes consideration of social and economic impacts as well as impacts on the environment.

Super Output Area (SOA)

A SOA is a unit of geography designed for the collection and publication of small area statistics.

Use Class Order (UCO)

The Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 1987 (as amended) puts land and buildings in England into various categories according to their type and purpose, they are known as ‘Use Classes’. A ‘Change of use’ can occur within the same Use Class or from one Use Class to another.

Depending on the specifics of any proposed change of use, including any building work associated with the proposal, it may require an application for planning permission or prior approval.

Generally, for any applications, the Use Classes in effect when the application was submitted will be used to determine it. The current Use Classes were updated on 1 September 2020 and include:

• Use Class B
  • B2 General industrial
  • B8 Storage or distribution
• Use Class C
  • C1 Hotels
  • C2 Residential institutions
  • C2A Secure Residential Institution
  • C3 Dwellinghouses
  • C4 Houses in multiple occupation
• Use Class E - Commercial, Business and Service
  • Class E more broadly covers uses previously defined in the revoked Classes A1/2/3, B1, D1(a-b) and ‘indoor sport’ from D2(e):
• Use Class F - Local Community and Learning
  • F1 Learning and non-residential institutions
  • F2 Local community

Sui Generis

'Sui generis' is a Latin term that, in this context, means ‘in a class of its own’. Certain uses are specifically defined and excluded from classification by legislation and therefore become ‘sui generis’.

Other uses become ‘sui generis’ where they fall outside the defined limits of any other use class.

West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA)

WYCA is the body which covers the Leeds City Region Area and brings together local councils and businesses to work on a collective vision for the area. It covers the 10 districts of Barnsley, Bradford, Calderdale, Craven, Harrogate, Kirklees, Leeds, Selby, Wakefield and York.

World Heritage Site

A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area which is selected by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as having cultural, historical, scientific or other form of significance, and is legally protected by international treaties.