Urban Planning Definitions Flipbook – Advanced Terms (Part 2 of 3)
K. Valuation & Land Economics (T101–T110)
Key concepts used in property valuation and urban land economics.
Market value is the most probable price that a property would fetch in an open and competitive market on the valuation date, between a willing buyer and a willing seller.
Fair market value is an estimate of market value that assumes no distress, special relationship or compulsion, reflecting a fair deal under normal conditions of sale and exposure.
Guideline value or circle rate is the minimum value of land or property fixed by the government for stamp duty and registration purposes, often lower than the actual market value.
Capitalised value is the present worth of a stream of future net incomes from a property, obtained by dividing the net annual income by an appropriate rate of capitalisation.
Depreciation is the reduction in value of a building or asset over time due to physical wear and tear, functional obsolescence and external factors like neighbourhood decline.
Obsolescence is the loss of value or utility of a building due to changes in design standards, technology, user preferences or surrounding development, even if the structure is physically sound.
Highest and best use is the reasonably probable and legal use of land that is physically possible, appropriately supported and financially feasible, and results in highest value.
Freehold property is real estate where the owner has complete ownership of the land and building for an indefinite period, subject only to statutory restrictions and taxes.
Leasehold property is real estate where the right to occupy and use land is given for a fixed period under a lease agreement, while ultimate ownership remains with the lessor (e.g., development authority).
Betterment levy is a charge imposed by the authority to capture part of the increase in land value that occurs due to public investments like new roads, metro, parks or zoning changes.
L. Urban Finance & Municipal Budget (T111–T120)
How cities raise, manage and spend money for development.
Municipal finance refers to the revenue generation, budgeting, expenditure and financial management of urban local bodies for providing services and infrastructure.
Own-source revenues are funds raised directly by ULBs through property tax, user charges, fees, licenses and local cesses, as opposed to grants from higher governments.
Intergovernmental transfers are funds transferred from central or state governments to ULBs as grants, shared taxes or scheme-based releases, often with conditions and performance indicators.
Municipal budget is the annual financial statement of anticipated income and expenditure of a ULB, approved by the council and used to plan service delivery and capital works.
Capital expenditure is spending on long-term assets such as roads, water supply, sewerage and buildings, which create or enhance infrastructure and are not used up in a single year.
O&M cost is the recurring expenditure needed to operate, repair and maintain infrastructure systems and services so that they perform reliably over their life cycle.
Cost recovery is the degree to which user charges and other revenues cover the full cost of providing a service, including O&M and, ideally, a share of capital cost and debt service.
Municipal bonds are debt instruments issued by ULBs or their entities to raise long-term funds from investors for infrastructure projects, to be repaid with interest from future revenues.
VGF is a grant support provided by government to make otherwise financially unviable but socially desirable infrastructure projects attractive for private investment under PPP models.
Financial sustainability means that a ULB can meet its current and future obligations for services and infrastructure without persistent deficits, excessive borrowing or deterioration of assets.
M. Urban Design & Public Realm (T121–T130)
Form, image and quality of streets and public spaces.
Urban design is the discipline concerned with the design of buildings, streets and public spaces at the city and neighbourhood scale, focusing on human experience, form and identity of places.
Public realm refers to streets, squares, parks and other areas that are open and accessible to everyone, forming the shared spaces of civic life in a city.
Street edge or building edge is the interface between building facades and the street, whose continuity, height and activity define the spatial character and enclosure of the street.
Active frontage is a street frontage with doors, shopfronts, transparent windows and frequent entrances that create visual interest, safety and pedestrian activity at ground level.
Plaza or urban square is an open, often paved public space surrounded by buildings or streets, used for gathering, events, markets and civic activities.
Human scale means designing buildings and spaces so that dimensions, details and visual relationships are comfortable and legible to people at walking speed and eye level, avoiding overpowering proportions.
Wayfinding is the process by which people orient themselves and navigate through space, supported by signage, landmarks, paths, maps and environmental cues in urban design.
Landmark is a prominent physical object or place (such as a tower, temple, gateway, statue) that is easily recognisable and helps people orient and remember locations in the city.
Streetscape improvement involves redesigning street cross-sections, footpaths, planting, lighting, seating and signage to enhance safety, comfort and aesthetics for pedestrians and other users.
Place-making is a collaborative process that shapes public spaces into vibrant places by focusing on local identity, community needs and human experience rather than only physical infrastructure.
N. Heritage, Conservation & Tourism (T131–T140)
Protecting historic fabric and using it in planning and tourism.
Heritage building is a structure of architectural, historical, cultural or aesthetic value notified or listed for protection under heritage regulations or acts.
Heritage precinct is a group of buildings, streets and open spaces with collective heritage value, where the overall character is protected through special controls on development and design.
Adaptive reuse is the process of repurposing an old or heritage building for a new use while retaining its significant features, extending its life and supporting economic viability.
Urban conservation refers to policies and actions that protect and manage historic buildings, precincts and landscapes within cities as part of wider urban development strategies.
Cultural landscape is a geographic area that includes cultural and natural features shaped by people over time, such as historic towns, sacred sites and traditional agricultural landscapes.
Heritage impact assessment evaluates how a proposed development might affect the significance of heritage assets and suggests mitigation or design modifications to minimise adverse impacts.
Urban tourism planning is the integration of tourist attractions, routes, infrastructure and services into city planning to support sustainable tourism without harming local communities or heritage.
Heritage walk is a curated walking route through historic areas highlighting significant buildings, streets and stories, often used for awareness, education and tourism promotion.
Heritage regulations are special development controls that govern alterations, additions, demolition and new construction in or around listed heritage assets to conserve their character.
Intangible cultural heritage includes practices, expressions, knowledge and skills such as festivals, crafts, food traditions and performing arts that contribute to the cultural identity of urban communities.
O. Disaster Management & Resilience (T141–T150)
Making cities safer from natural and human-made hazards.
Disaster risk is the potential loss of lives, assets and functions in a city resulting from the interaction of hazards, exposure of people and infrastructure, and their vulnerability.
Hazard zoning is the mapping and classification of areas based on susceptibility to hazards such as floods, landslides or earthquakes, used to regulate land use and building standards.
Disaster-resilient urban planning integrates risk reduction measures—such as safe locations, robust infrastructure and emergency routes—into land use and development regulations to minimise disaster impacts.
Evacuation route is a designated path or corridor planned to safely move people from hazard-prone areas to safe locations during emergencies, kept free from obstructions and clearly signed.
Urban resilience is the ability of a city’s systems, communities and institutions to withstand, adapt to and recover quickly from shocks and stresses such as disasters or climate change.
City disaster management plan is a document that identifies hazards, vulnerabilities, response roles and resources, and lays out preparedness, response and recovery procedures for the city.
Critical infrastructure includes essential systems and assets such as water, power, transport, hospitals and communication networks whose failure would cause major disruption to society and the economy.
Seismic zoning divides the country or state into zones based on earthquake risk, with building codes prescribing different structural design requirements for each zone to ensure safety.
Safe shelter or relief centre is a building or open area identified and equipped to temporarily house people displaced by disasters, with basic facilities like water, sanitation and health support.
Risk-sensitive land use plan is a development plan that incorporates hazard and vulnerability information into land use allocations and regulations to avoid or minimise development in high-risk areas.
P. National Missions & Schemes (T151–T160)
Central programmes strongly linked to planning practice.
AMRUT is a central mission focusing on basic infrastructure in cities—water supply, sewerage, stormwater drainage, green spaces and non-motorised transport—through reforms and investment support.
Smart Cities Mission supports selected cities to implement area-based development and pan-city solutions using technology, improved governance and citizen participation to enhance quality of life and economy.
PMAY–Urban is a housing scheme aiming at “Housing for All” in urban areas through components like in-situ slum redevelopment, credit-linked subsidy, affordable housing in partnership and beneficiary-led construction.
SBM–Urban is a mission focusing on elimination of open defecation, scientific solid waste management and improvement of sanitation behaviour and infrastructure in cities.
DAY–NULM is a mission to reduce urban poverty by promoting self-employment, skill development, SHGs and better access to shelters and services for urban homeless and informal workers.
HRIDAY was a scheme to preserve and revitalise soul and character of heritage cities through infrastructure, access and services improvement in and around heritage precincts.
Rurban Mission aims to develop rural growth clusters with urban-like facilities—economic activities, skill development and basic infrastructure—while retaining rural character, bridging rural–urban divide.
NUHM is a sub-mission under NHM focusing on primary health care services for the urban poor, especially slum and vulnerable populations, through urban health centres and outreach.
PM SVANidhi provides working capital loans to urban street vendors to resume livelihoods, along with incentives for digital payments and timely repayment, linked to planning of vending zones.
Area-based development is a focussed intervention in a chosen city area (e.g., retrofitting, redevelopment or greenfield) combining infrastructure, technology and urban design improvements to demonstrate smart solutions.
Q. Urban Policy & Reforms (T161–T170)
High-level policy shifts that shape local planning practice.
Urban policy is a framework of objectives, principles and strategies adopted by government to guide urbanisation, land use, housing, transport and governance across cities.
Urban reforms are changes in policies, laws, institutional arrangements or financial practices that cities commit to implement in exchange for central assistance under missions like JNNURM and AMRUT.
LUTI policy promotes compact, mixed-use development around public transport, controlling sprawl and parking to create more sustainable and efficient urban mobility patterns.
Inclusionary zoning requires or incentivises private developers to provide a certain proportion of affordable housing units within market projects or contribute to an affordable housing fund.
Transit-supportive development policy sets higher densities, mixed use and reduced parking around transit stations, along with good NMT access, to maximise ridership and reduce car dependence.
Rental housing policy promotes creation and regularisation of rental units, hostels and dormitories with suitable regulations to increase flexibility and affordability for mobile urban populations.
Devolution of functions is the transfer of responsibilities listed in the 12th Schedule—such as urban planning, water supply, roads, slum improvement—to ULBs along with funds and functionaries.
E-governance is the use of IT and digital platforms to provide services, share information and engage citizens, improving transparency, efficiency and accountability of ULBs and parastatals.
Urban observatory or policy lab is an entity that collects, analyses and disseminates city data to support evidence-based planning, monitoring and evaluation of urban policies and programmes.
SLBs are standard indicators and targets for performance of urban services (like per capita water supply, network coverage, collection efficiency) used to compare and improve city service delivery.
R. Professional Practice & Ethics (T171–T180)
How planners work, behave and interact with clients and society.
Professional ethics are the moral principles and standards that guide planners’ conduct, such as honesty, integrity, public interest, confidentiality and avoidance of conflict of interest.
ToR is a document that defines the objectives, scope of work, deliverables, timelines and responsibilities for a planning consultancy or study, agreed between client and consultant.
Client–consultant agreement is a legal contract that sets out roles, responsibilities, payment terms, liabilities, dispute resolution and copyright for planning or design consultancy services.
Stakeholder consultation workshop is a structured meeting where different interest groups share views, validate data and co-create solutions during the planning process.
Conflict of interest occurs when a planner’s personal, financial or organisational interests could improperly influence their professional judgement or public decisions, requiring disclosure and management.
Public interest is the overall welfare and long-term benefit of the community, environment and future generations, which should take precedence over narrow private or sectional interests in planning decisions.
Planning report or project report is a structured document presenting background, analysis, proposals, phasing, costing and implementation strategies for a planning project or scheme.
Multi-disciplinary team is a group of professionals from different fields—planning, architecture, transport, environment, economics, sociology—working together on a planning project to address complex issues holistically.
Project phasing is the division of implementation into manageable stages or time slices, prioritising early actions, aligning with budget availability and reducing disruption risk.
M&E is the continuous process of tracking project inputs, outputs and outcomes against targets, and assessing whether planning interventions are effective and need adjustment.
S. Rural & Peri-urban Planning (T181–T190)
Transition areas and rural development with planning lens.
Peri-urban area is the transition zone around a city where rural and urban land uses, lifestyles and governance structures mix and change rapidly due to urban expansion.
Urban fringe is the outer part of a city where built-up area meets rural countryside, often characterised by scattered development, land speculation and changing livelihoods.
Integrated rural–urban development planning aims to coordinate investments, infrastructure and services across rural and urban areas so that they support each other rather than compete or create disparities.
Growth centre is a strategically located settlement where infrastructure, services and employment are concentrated to stimulate development in the surrounding rural hinterland.
Service centre is a settlement that provides basic facilities and markets to a group of surrounding villages, forming a key node in the rural service hierarchy.
Land consolidation is the process of re-arranging fragmented landholdings into larger, more efficient plots, often with improved access and irrigation, to support agricultural productivity and infrastructure layout.
VDP is a participatory plan prepared at village level that identifies priorities for infrastructure, livelihoods, natural resources and social services, often linked to Gram Panchayat Development Plans (GPDP).
Urban–rural linkage refers to flows of people, goods, money, information and services between rural areas and cities, which planning tries to strengthen in a balanced way for regional development.
Agricultural land protection includes zoning and regulations that limit conversion of fertile farmland to urban uses, supporting food security and rural livelihoods near cities.
Rural-urban migration is the movement of people from villages to towns and cities for jobs, education and services, affecting housing demand, informal settlements and labour markets in planning analysis.
T. Advanced Environment & Climate (T191–T200)
Climate change, emissions and advanced environmental tools.
City climate action plan identifies greenhouse gas emissions, climate risks and sector-wise strategies for mitigation and adaptation, with timelines and responsibilities for implementation.
GHG emissions from cities are gases like CO₂, CH₄ and N₂O released mainly from energy use, transport, industry and waste, contributing to global climate change.
Low-carbon city strategy focuses on reducing emissions through energy-efficient buildings, clean transport, renewable energy, compact land use and green infrastructure.
Nature-based solutions are actions that protect, restore or manage natural and semi-natural ecosystems (like wetlands, urban forests, green roofs) to address challenges such as flooding and heat in cities.
Green infrastructure is a network of natural and constructed green spaces—parks, greenways, bioswales, green roofs—that provide ecological services like cooling, infiltration and habitat.
Urban air quality management plan identifies sources of air pollution, sets targets and outlines measures like emission norms, traffic management and green buffers to improve air quality.
Environmental carrying capacity study assesses how much development a city or region can sustain without crossing thresholds for air, water, land or infrastructure degradation.
Heat action plan outlines early warning systems, public communication, cooling measures and urban design interventions to protect populations from extreme heat events in cities.
Carbon footprint is the total amount of greenhouse gases emitted directly and indirectly by a city, activity or project over a given period, usually expressed in tonnes of CO₂ equivalent.
Climate-resilient urban infrastructure is designed, located and managed to withstand climate impacts such as floods, heat or storms, maintaining functionality and reducing losses over its life cycle.
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