Ward

A small sub-area of a local authority district.

Warehouse Clubs

Out-of-centre businesses specialising in volume sales of reduced priced goods often in large buildings with large car parks.

Wash-over village

Villages within a designated green belt which are not subject to specific proposals to extend the village boundary for development.

Waste

Waste is any material or object that is no longer wanted and requires disposal. If a material or object is re-usable, it is still classed as waste if it has first been discarded.

Waste Collection Authority (WCA)

A local authority that has a duty to collect household waste. They also have a duty to collect commercial waste if requested to do so and may also collect industrial waste. (The waste collection authority may differ from the waste disposal authority).

Waste Disposal Authority (WDA)

A local authority responsible for managing the waste collected by the collection authorities and the provision of household waste recovery centres.

Waste Hierarchy

A framework for securing a sustainable approach to waste management. Waste should be minimised wherever possible. If waste cannot be avoided, then it should be re-used; after this value recovered by recycling or composting; or waste to energy; and finally landfill disposal.

Waste Local Plan

A statutory development plan prepared (or saved) by the waste planning authority under transitional arrangements, setting out polices in relation to waste management and related developments.

Waste Minimisation / Reduction

The most desirable way of managing waste, by avoiding the production of waste in the first place.

Waste Planning Authority (WPA)

The local authority responsible for waste development planning and control. They are unitary authorities, including National Park Authorities, and county councils in non-unitary areas.

Waste Regulation Authority

The Environment Agency has responsibility for authorising waste management licences for disposal facilities, and for monitoring sites.

Waste Transfer Station

A site to which waste is delivered for sorting or baling prior to transfer to another place for recycling, treatment or disposal.

White land

A general expression used to mean land (and buildings) without any specific proposal for allocation in a development plan, where it is intended that for the most part, existing uses shall remain undisturbed and unaltered.

Wildlife Corridor

Strips of land (for example, along a hedgerow) conserved and managed for wildlife, usually linking more extensive wildlife habitats.

Windfall Site

A site not specifically allocated for development in a development plan, but which unexpectedly becomes available for development during the lifetime of a plan. Most "windfalls" are referred to in a housing context. They tend to be very small sites for one or a small number of homes.

Wind farm

A group of wind turbines located in areas exposed to wind. A wind farm may vary in terms of the number and size of turbines.

Wind Resource Area

An area of search (or an area of least constraint) where wind turbines may be built subject to planning permission.

World Heritage Site

A cultural or natural site of outstanding universal value designated by the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), for example Durham Cathedral and Stonehenge.

Written representations

A procedure by which representations on planning appeals, development plans and Development Plan Documents can be dealt with without the need for a full public inquiry or informal hearing.

Written Statement

A documentary statement supplementing and explaining policy, forming part of a development plan.