Winchester and its Setting
Glossary
National Park – Under the Environmental Act 1995, a Park Authority has a statutory purpose to conserve and enhance the natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage of the area and to promote opportunities for the understanding and enjoyment of the Park.
SSSI – Sites of Special Scientific Interest – these are designated by English Nature under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, for their special ecological or geological interest.
SINC – Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation – sites within Hampshire that are of particular importance for nature conservation, containing habitats or features which are effectively irreplaceable.
Local Gap – area of countryside designated by the Local Planning Authority as a means of conserving the separate identity of settlements. Local gaps are defined to preserve the separate identities of smaller settlements at risk of coalescence and cover locally important areas of open and undeveloped land.