Among natural resources, the greatest, unquestionably, is the land. Study how a society uses that land and you can come to pretty reliable conclusions as to what its future will be.
E F Schumacher (1973)
Background
A sustainable approach to managing land implies a distribution and layout of new activities that creates maximum opportunity and accessibility for current and future generations whilst minimising the loss of natural resources. New development should contribute to establishing healthy environments and diverse communities (see community and health and pollution).
Wherever possible, development should be located on those sites which are most accessible to good public transport links, local jobs and housing, health, education and other services. The layout of development should help to reduce the need to travel, encourage mixed use development and provide high quality areas of public open and greenspace for leisure, recreation and relaxation.
Previously developed land and buildings are an excellent resource and should be used as a priority to restrict the loss of greenfield sites. Such brownfield sites will often be located in areas with good existing infrastructure. These sites often have ecological value which should not be underestimated and will need to be carefully assessed and protected prior to development.
The local character of the surrounding area should inform the approach to the design and landscaping of new development. The aim is to create attractive environments in which people live and work and to contribute to the regeneration of areas, with benefits for the wider community. Carefully designed layouts can play a key role in delivering energy efficiency and in promoting higher densities that maximise the use of land.
