An alphabetically ordered list of words, phrases and acronyms commonly used when talking about Open Digital Planning with links to find out more information.
Click on each letter to view the list.
Agile delivery:
Application Programming Interface (API):
An Application Programming Interface (API) is code that enables two software programs to communicate. An API defines how a developer should request services from an Operating System (OS) or other application, and expose data within different contexts and across multiple channels.
Application service: Our Application Service allows residents to apply and pay for a Lawful Development Certificate (LDC) online. This service can be integrated with the Assessment service (Back Office Planning System - BOPS).
ArcGIS:
ArcGIS is a family of client, server and online geographic information system software developed and maintained by Esri.
Article 4: A planning tool to manage what certain properties can do without planning permission by removing their ‘permitted development rights’. They are created by local planning authorities and approved by the Secretary of State.
Article 4 flows: Plan✕ services are made up of ‘flows’, a sequence of questions. Flows specifically relating to Article 4 directions are a set of automated questions to ascertain whether the
Assessment service: Our Assessment Service is a case management system (Back-office Planning System, BOPS) that has been designed with extensive inputs from planning teams, and makes planning data more accessible. Planners spend less time searching for, and requesting information.
Back Office Planning System (BOPS) - An easy-to-use back-office system for your planning team to manage applications.
Basic Land and Property Unit (BLPU): An “area of land, property or structure of fixed location having a uniform occupation, ownership or function”. This definition is intended to be broad, and what is considered to be a BLPU is to a certain extent dependent on the user perspective. There is no single correct view, and different user communities will record BLPUs at different levels of granularity.
Content design: Content is the language that appears in a user interface. Creating this content is essentially designing with words and includes any form of information for the user, including images, videos and text.
Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIAS): A Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) describes a process designed to identify risks arising out of the processing of personal data and to minimise these risks as far and as early as possible. DPIAs are important tools for negating risk, and for demonstrating compliance with the GDPR
Data Protection Officer (DPO): A Data Protection Officer assists you to monitor internal compliance, inform and advise on your data protection obligations, provide advice regarding Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs) and act as a contact point for data subjects and the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).
Design sprint: Design sprints are an intense 5-day process where user-centred teams tackle design problems. Working with expert insights, teams ideate, prototype and test solutions on selected users. Google’s design sprint is the framework to map out challenges, explore solutions, pick the best ones, create a prototype and test it. [Learn more]
Digital Site Notice (DSN): Learn more
Document Management System (DMS): Your Authority’s current system, used for the capture, tracking and storage of electronic documents such as PDFs, word processing files and digital images of paper-based content.
Find Out If You Need Planning Permission (FOIYNPP) - Guidance service : A digital ‘triage’ service where users explore whether their project is likely to need planning permission. It includes tailored advice on what type of application would suit the property and project.
Geographic Information System (GIS): A type of database containing geographic data, combined with software tools for managing, analysing, and visualising those data.
General Permitted Development Order (GDPO): General Permitted Development Order (2015) The Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015 (the "GPDO 2015") is a statutory instrument, applying in England, that grants planning permission for certain types of development (such development is then referred to as permitted development).
Greater London Authority (GLA): Greater London Authority
Guidance Service (Find Out If You Need Planning Permission - FOIYNPP): Our Guidance Service is digital ‘triage’ service where users explore whether their project is likely to need planning permission (Find Out If You Need Planning Permission). It includes tailored advice on what type of application would suit the property and project.
Iterative process: The iterative process is an approach to continuously improving a concept, design, or product. Creators produce a prototype, test it, tweak it, and repeat the cycle with the goal of getting closer to the solution. Learn more
Journey mapping: A journey map is a visualisation of the process that a person goes through in order to accomplish a goal. In its most basic form, journey mapping starts by compiling a series of user actions into a timeline. Next, the timeline is fleshed out with user thoughts and emotions in order to create a narrative. Learn more
Landing Page: A dedicated page on your Authority’s website that users go to to access the Plan✕ platform. Although it doesn’t have to be a full page, it can just be a link to the Plan✕ platform from a current page.
Lawful Development Certificate (LDC): Either before or after your project is complete you can apply for a Lawful Development Certificate. This confirms that either physical works or a change of use of a property doesn’t need planning permission. A common use of these is in conveyancing solicitors may want to know that an extension was done ‘lawfully’, i.e. it didn’t need planning permission.
You can apply to your local authority for an LDC via the Plan✕ ‘Apply for a Lawful Development Certificate’ service for some local authorities. Currently most applicants use the Planning Portal online application service. Lawful Development Certificate Existing (LDCE): For projects that have started. Lawful Development Certificate Proposed (LDCP): For projects that haven’t started.
Minimum Viable Product (MVP): Learn more
Ministry of Housing Communities, and Local Government (MHCLG): The Government department in which the Digital Planning is part of. Find out more here.
National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF): National Planning Policy Framework
Open Digital Planning: Visit the Open Digital Planning website to find out more
Open Systems Lab (OSL): Supplier of the Plan✕ product, currently leading on service development.
Planning Advisory Service (PAS): The Planning Advisory Service (PAS) provides consultancy and peer support, learning events and online resources to help local authorities understand and respond to planning reform.
Planning Inspectorate for England (PINS): The Planning Inspectorate for England is an executive agency of the Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government of the United Kingdom government with responsibility to make decisions and provide recommendations and advice on a range of land use planning-related issues across England. The Planning Inspectorate deals with planning appeals, nationally significant infrastructure projects, planning permission, examinations of Local Plans and other planning-related and specialist casework.
Plan✕: A content management system (CMS) currently being used for digital planning services. It allows planning authorities to collaboratively build and maintain data-powered planning services that make planning simpler, for everyone.
Permitted Development (PD): See General Permitted Development Order (GDPO)
Prior Approval: Prior Approval is a requirement by condition for some projects that don’t need planning permission, as set out in the General Permitted Development Order 2015. general means that you must seek approval from the local planning authority that specific elements of the development are acceptable before work can start.
RIPA: The retired term for Plan✕ services - any old content that refers to ‘RIPA’ is referencing software now known as Plan✕.
SSL Certificates: An SSL Certificate is a bit of code on your web server that provides security for online communications. When a web browser contacts your secured website, the SSL certificate enables an encrypted connection. It’s kind of like sealing a letter in an envelope before sending it through the mail.
Subdomains: The PlanX editor is hosted at planx.uk. Local Planning Authorities can bring their own domain name, e.g. planningservices.yourlocalauthority.gov.uk. The suggested subdomain name is planning services. This is the default standard but LPAs can deviate from this if they want to, provided their alternative does not include “ripa'' in it.
Unique Property Reference Number (UPRN): The UPRN is the unique identifier for every addressable location in Great Britain. UPRNs can be used for addressable locations such as residential and commercial buildings and for objects which may not have a typical address for example, an electricity substation or a bus shelter. The UPRN provides every property with a persistent identifier throughout its existence (from planning through to demolition).