Project teams should seek to:

• Choose a route which:
  i) respects existing landform;
  ii) requires the fewest large earthworks;
  iii) minimises the extent of habitat loss;
  iv) avoids sites of nature conservation interest and, where possible, protects non-renewable resources (e.g. ancient woodland); and
  v) seeks to maintain connectivity through the use of structures that carry the landscape over the infrastructure or permit the landscape to flow under the infrastructure.
• Design profiles which reflect the local topography: embankments and cuttings need to be graded out to match the surrounding slopes and used to minimise noise and visual intrusion.
• Aim to achieve the most sustainable use of excavated material, i.e. create a balance of cut and fill material and minimise the need for off-site disposal.
• Ensure the new landform and its soil structure permits effective planting and/or restoration to an appropriate use.
• Planting design (pattern and species) should reflect the adjacent landscape and avoid the creation of a separate corridor of planting.
• Restore as much as possible of the preexisting pattern of field boundaries, woodland, heathland, etc.
• Establish a clear design objective and maintenance regime for each element of the scheme design.