Active frontage

The design of frontages can add interest, life and vitality to the street and public realm. Frontages are considered active if they have:

• frequent doors and windows without blank walls
• articulated facades with bays and porches
• lively internal uses visible from the outside, or spilling onto the street
• concentrations of activity at particular points

Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG)

Biodiversity Net Gain delivers measurable improvements for biodiversity by creating or enhancing habitats in association with development. Biodiversity Net Gain can be achieved on-site, off-site or through a combination of on-site and off-site measures.

Conservation Area

Areas identified as being of special architectural or historic interest. The London Borough of Bexley has 23 Conservation Areas, please check with Development Management to ascertain if your proposal is located within one.

Design and Access Statement

A report submitted to accompany and support a planning application that outlines the social, visual and physical impact of a proposed development, with reference to how the development sits within, and draws from, its context.

Dual aspect

A dual aspect dwelling is one with opening windows on two external walls, which may be on opposite sides of a dwelling or on adjacent sides of a dwelling where the external walls of the dwelling wrap around the corner of a building. Source: Housing Design Standards LPG

Eaves

The part of the roof that meets or overhangs the walls of the building.

Green infrastructure

A network of multi-functional green space, urban and rural, which is capable of delivering a wide range of environmental and quality of life benefits for local communities.

Habitable room

A habitable room is one used, or intended to be used, for dwelling and domestic purposes. The use of habitable room is subject to its context and applicants should refer to individual Building Regulation Approved Documents for clarity.

Habitable windows

A window to a room used, or intended to be used, for dwelling and domestic purposes.

Host building

An existing building within a development site which is normally positioned within a street facing location.

Highway

A way over which members of the public have a right to pass and repass, either on foot or dependent on suitability, in a vehicle motorised or otherwise.

Listed Building

A listed building, or structure, which has been placed on the statutory list (the National Heritage List for England – NHLE) which is maintained by Historic England.

Statutory listing covers 3 grades, being Grade I, Grade II* and Grade II. Grade I listed buildings are of exceptional interest; Grade II* are particularly important buildings which are of more than special interest; and, Grade II are of special interest. Most buildings and structures are Grade II, with examples which are of particular historic or architectural interest being graded higher.

Any works, generally speaking, which would involve the alteration or extension to a listed building would require the benefit of Listed Building Consent.

Legibility

How easy it is for people to understand and find their way around a place and how memorable it is.

Massing

A building's three dimensional shape, made up by its height, width, depth and form.

Parapet

The uppermost part of a wall that extends above the edge of the roof.

Private amenity space

This can take the form of gardens, roof terraces or balconies.

Protected garden area

The primary areas of use within a rear garden which should be afforded privacy from neighbouring gardens and properties.

Retrofit

The process of adding new or modified components or systems to an existing building to improve its performance, efficiency or safety.

Ridge

The top-most horizontal part of the roof formed where two slopes meet.

Roofscape

A view of roofs, particularly in terms of its aesthetic appeal.

Spatial hierarchy

The relationships between buildings and the spaces between them created by the scale, layout and architectural expression of buildings and the spatial qualities of the public realm.

Standard window

Vertically aligned windows with clear glass.

Street scene

The appearance of all of the elements of a street, including the carriageway, footway, cycle paths, street furniture, planting, trees, and the buildings or structures along its edges, particularly the composition of buildings on each side of the street.

Subservient

A development that is secondary or subordinate to the original building in terms of height, scale, massing, form and overall impact on the existing building.

Sustainable drainage systems (SuDS)

Features designed to reduce flood risk, which are built to receive surface water run-off, such as constructed wetlands, permeable surfaces, retention ponds, green roofs and swales.

Urban grain

The established street patterns and the arrangement of buildings within the streets.

Urban heat island effect

A phenomenon describing the elevated temperatures felt in towns and cities compared to rural surroundings.