Do

Don't

■  look at the site area as a whole, not just in terms of the building footprint and road layout

■  associate the site with its neighbours, combine or link compatible spaces if better viewed as one entity

■  consult relevant experts on best use of space for hard and soft landscaping

■  link building shapes with hard landscaping to provide cohesion.

■  plan the site solely on the best building location

■  waste valuable space if it has an ancillary purpose that adds value to the whole

■  landscape to hide an ugly building or to provide a sticking plaster on more fundamental design flaws

■  treat landscaping and building specifications as completely separate issues.