Including Landscape In Road Design, Mitigation And Construction – A Good Practice Discussion Note (March 2006) Prepared for the Countryside Agency by Land Use Consultants and ADAS Ltd
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Including Landscape In Road Design, Mitigation And Construction – A Good Practice Discussion Note (March 2006) Prepared by Land Use Consultants and ADAS Ltd.


Background

When new roads are built in environmentally sensitive areas, their impact on landscape can be greatly reduced through careful design, construction and mitigation.

We commissioned a Discussion Note which uses three case studies to explore the ways in which landscape can be included in the road building process. We want to ensure that countryside character is protected, and that new roads, when they are built, are designed and constructed to a high standard that reduces the impacts on the countryside and reflects the character of the surrounding landscape.

Findings

The case studies in the Discussion Note – two built schemes and one planned scheme – show how design, construction and mitigation can be used to reduce the negative landscape impacts of new roads. Situated in designated landscapes, we would expect these schemes to demonstrate good practice in reducing their impacts on landscape; but the innovative thinking and processes that they highlight could be applied to other schemes in non-designated, rural landscapes. 

The case studies were:

1. A470 Cardiff to Glan Conwy Trunk Road,  Dolwyddelan to Pont-yr-Afanc, Gwynedd, North Wales – looks at fitting a road into an isolated upland area.

2. A34 Chieveley/M4 Junction 13 –  Berkshire – looks at mitigating some of the visual impact of the road on the landscape.

3. A3 Hindhead Scheme (not yet constructed),  Surrey  –looks at removing the impact of the current road by tunnelling.

The Discussion Note concludes by drawing out some of the key lessons and elements of good practice demonstrated by the three case studies. Some of the process issues include:

  • Involving stakeholders fully and effectively; 
  • Assessing the impacts of engineering rules, regulations, codes of practice and guidelines on landscape; 
  • Ensuring that landscape is included as a priority in project programming and funding;
  • Choosing the right contract type to ensure landscape is included from the early stages of project development;
  • Establishing a long-term planning and management framework to ensure that landscape objectives are realised.     

Some of the technical issues for landscape include:

  • Combining the landscape design process with the engineering design, with choice of route and alignment as key aspects.  
  • Integrating the route with landscape character and aligning it with the topography.   
  • Understanding and appreciating landscape character as a fundamental part of designing a high quality highway.   
  • Using landscape character, sensitivity and designations to guide the choice of route, design standards and solutions. 
  • Retaining strong views/vistas and views of distinctive landmarks    

The discussion note also highlights the technical issues raised by vegetation and nature conservation, and by the structures and fixtures used as part of the road - signs, lighting, crash barriers, noise barriers, line painting, kerbs – which all need a consistent and sensitive design approach that is appropriate to the local landscape character to avoid visual confusion and clutter.  

Click on the right hand link to view the full note.