Glossary of terms

Acronym	Term	Description
-	Acceptance (Planning Act 2008)	The Acceptance stage begins when an applicant submits an application for development consent to the Planning Inspectorate. There follows a period of up to 28 days (excluding the date of receipt of the application) for the Planning Inspectorate, on behalf of the Secretary of State, to decide whether or not the application meets the standards required to be accepted for examination.
-	Act (of Parliament)	An Act of Parliament creates a new law or changes an existing law. An Act is a Bill that has been approved by both the House of Commons and the House of Lords and been given Royal Assent by the Monarch. Taken together, Acts of Parliament make up what is known as Statute Law in the UK.
AONB	Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty	A designated exceptional landscape whose distinctive character and natural beauty are precious enough to be safeguarded in the national interest. AONBs are protected and enhanced for nature, people, business and culture.
BoR	Book of Reference	A published document which identifies all owners, lessees and occupiers with a qualifying interest in land and property affected by a proposed scheme
-	Bridleway	Officially designated way over which the public has a right of way on foot and a right of way on horseback or leading a horse, with or without a right to drive animals along the way. Also permits the riding of bicycles.
CP	Compulsory Purchase	The power to acquire rights over an estate in English land law, or to buy that estate outright, without the current owner's consent in return for compensation.
CPO	Compulsory Purchase Order	A legal function in the United Kingdom and Ireland that allows certain bodies to obtain land or property without the consent of the owner.
-	Crichel Down Rules	Oblige central and local government, when, having acquired an estate compulsorily, they find they no longer need it, to offer it in the first instance to the person from whom they acquired it at its market value.
DFT	Department for Transport	A department of His Majesty's Government responsible for the English transport network and a limited number of transport matters in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland that have not been devolved. The department is run by the Secretary of State for Transport
DCO	Development Consent Order	A statutory order which provides consent for the project and means that a range of other consents, such as planning permission and listed building consent, will not be required. A DCO can also include provisions authorising the Compulsory Acquisition of land or of interests in or rights over land which is the subject of an application. A draft DCO is submitted by applicants with every application.
EA	Environement Agency	A Government agency set up with effect from April 1996, assuming the responsibilities for environmental matters previously held by the National Rivers Authority, HM Inspectorate of Pollution, and the Waste Regulation Authorities.
EIA	Environmental Impact Assessment	Forming part of the development management system, an assessment of the environmental consequences of a project prior to the decision to move forward with the proposed project.