How to get scaled floor plans for planning permission

If you're planning on building something new, changing the use of your building, altering the appearance of a listed building, or making significant changes to your building, you'll need to acquire planning permission. It's essential to apply for planning permission in these instances to ensure the proposed development fits with local guidelines and policies, with consideration to the local area and the building's surroundings. It's also crucial for making sure design and safety standards are met. If you start building without planning permission, you'll be issued an enforcement notice, which will order you to undo all changes made so far.

When applying for planning permission, several components must make up your application, including accurate, to-scale drawings. In this article, we'll explain those drawings, what they need to include, and how to get them for your planning permission application.

What is required to apply for planning permission?

When applying for planning permission, you'll need several key items.

• The standard application form

• A to-scale location plan

• Supporting documents, including an Ownership Certificate, an Agricultural Land Declaration, and a Design and Access Statement

• A to-scale site plan (not always necessary, but requested in most cases)

Without the above, your application isn't complete and cannot be submitted. Fortunately, plans and drawings to scale are simple to acquire from reputable, professional plan suppliers such as ourselves.

What should scaled floor plans include for planning applications?

It is essential to provide, at the very minimum, an accurate location plan when submitting an application for planning permission. In most cases, other drawings, such as to-scale floor and site plans, will be needed to further detail the development. The local planning authority you plan to get permission from will tell you which drawings they require.

Scaled location plans

A location plan uses an Ordnance Survey map to show the property, or site specified in the application, in relation to the surrounding area. It's important that the plan shows the exact location, so it must detail any buildings and/ or roads around the site for local authorities to identify it. For planning permission submission drawings, the location plan should typically be 1:1250 in scale for small or urban sites, and 1:2500 in scale for large or rural sites. Regardless of the scale, ideally, the plan should fit on A4-size paper, or A3 if necessary.

The plan should clearly show the application site outlined in a red boundary line, including all the land necessary for workers to carry out the proposed development. This could be parking, road access, and any open areas around the building or site. Any other land owned by the applicant that is relevant to the application should be outlined in a blue boundary line on the plan. A blue line boundary isn't entirely necessary, but it can be helpful for local authorities to have a record of it.

Scaled site and floor plans

A site plan, also known as a block plan, shows the proposed development in more detail within the boundaries. It includes the exact size and location of both existing buildings and those that the application is proposing, along with property lines, walkways, gardens, pools, and any other details on the lot. This helps provide further information on your proposed property, be it an extension on an existing home or an entirely new building.

A floor plan shows an even closer look at the proposed property. Floor plans will include interior walls, window and door placements, bathroom facilities, staircases or level access, different floors, and more, depending on what you find necessary to include. While not always requested, a scaled floor plan helps to provide useful information to create a bigger and more in-depth picture of your proposed work.

To learn more about scaled floor plans, take a look at our informative floor plan guide.

Can I do my own drawings for planning permission?

It is possible to create your own to-scale drawings and plans for a planning permission application if you have the skills and software, but it's not recommended. If your location or site plans aren't correct or to scale, your application will either be deemed invalid or refused. Invalid applications mean costly delays while information is requested, while a refused application could mean a denial of your proposed property work. If your planning permission is denied because of inaccurate drawings, you will not get your money back for the application.

It is always encouraged to seek professional help for scaled plans to avoid any chance of an incorrect drawing. We have state-of-the-art software and an expert team on hand to create 100% accurate, to-scale location, site, and floor plans for your planning permission application. You can learn more about what kinds of plans can be created at home versus by professionals on our blog.

Get scaled plans for planning permission applications

For accurate plans and drawings completed to scale, don't hesitate to get in touch with our team. With many years of experience and all the best tools at our disposal, we're perfectly suited to complete the necessary scaled plans for your planning permission application.

Reach out today, and let's discuss how we can help support your application.