What factors should influence the choice of location?

• Consider the needs of development and locate it as close to as many of the following facilities as possible: existing housing, jobs, open space, public transport routes and health, education and other key services.
• Give preference to development sites within urban areas, which are well served by the above facilities and transport/utility infrastructure can be more easily extended.
• Give priority to previously developed land and buildings.
• Avoid sites which are at risk from flooding and where the development would result in the loss of historic landscape and nature conservation value.

What is best practice in planning and design?

• Ensure that appropriate weight is given to each of the key aspects of sustainability: environmental, social and economic.
• In urban settings, plan for sufficient density of people and activities to enliven streets, support public transport and sustain a wide range of shops and services.
• Use and enhance a site's strongest links with surrounding areas.
• Develop a strong sense of place through siting and design, so that the relationship of existing and new buildings should create points of interest and reinforce local character.
• Incorporate generous amounts of planting and well designed, safe and attractive external spaces within the layout to complement the local landscape and encourage healthy, outdoor lifestyles.
• Avoide street layouts where cars predominate and safety is an issue (e.g. dark alleyways).

How can the most efficient use of the land be made?

Be aware that:

• Higher densities (ie people or dwellings per unit of area) give the most efficient use of land. However, the fit with the character of other buildings in the area is crucial and care must be taken to ensure that design and layout respects the amenity of building users - for instance, by the adequate provision and good integration of landscaping and open space.
• Higher densities are most appropriate in urban areas where they can support the existing wide range of services and facilities (especially public transport).
• The local planning authority will want to discuss the appropriate density of development at the earliest stage and may indicate target densities in a development brief.

How can the layout and landscaping of development maximise energy efficiency?

• Wherever possible, ensure the main orientation of the buildings is south facing, utilising glazed areas such as conservatories or atriums where possible to transfer solar heat inside.
• The slope and aspect of the land will determine how effective this can be. Overshadowing should be minimised through the design and layout of development. Appropriate planting can provide shading in the summer.
• Create a sheltered site - this can be achieved through planting an appropriate shelterbelt or by using existing features on the site.
• Emphasise the role of building form - reducing the area of external walls in relation to the internal volume of a building reduces heat loss. Preference should be given to semi-detached and terraced types of buildings. (see Energy Use).

How can the development be used to enhance the local environment?

• Incorporate areas of nature conservation value and open space into the design and layout of all development, where possible linking up the existing habitats and creating new habitats (see Biodiversity).
• Ensure that any landscaping, habitats and drainage facilities are well managed, and consider contributions off-site where appropriate, to benefit the users of the development (see Maintenance and management).
• Incorporate sustionable drainage systems (SUDS) to reduce the speed of run-off. (see Water use and drainage).