Location and block plans in London

Getting the red line and the blue line right

The red line marks the application site. National guidance says it should include all the land needed to carry out the development, such as access to a public highway, visibility splays and parking. Other land you own that is close to or next to the site is edged blue.

Two mistakes come up again and again. The red line stops at the front door and leaves out the path or driveway that connects to the road. Or the owner draws a boundary from memory and includes a strip of a neighbour's garden. Either can make the ownership certificate wrong.

We draw from the measured survey and check the boundary against the deeds you have and the mapping. Where the boundary is unclear, we say so before you sign the certificate. Our planning drawings use the same plans.

If the plot has a shared driveway or an unadopted access track, we show it and note who owns it. Councils often query ownership on shared access, so settling it on the plan saves a validation round.

Scale, north and what the guidance requires

Both plans must be drawn to an identified scale and show north. A scale bar is useful, because printed or scanned copies change size. The table gives the usual location plan scales and the paper sizes the guidance expects.

The scale matters more than people think. A plan drawn to an unusual scale can lead to an application being marked invalid, and the clock does not start until it is valid.

We produce both plans from our drawing standard, so every sheet in your set shares one scale convention, north arrow and legend.

Plans for prior approval and other routes

Location and block plans are not only for householder applications. A larger home extension notification needs a plan indicating the site and the proposal. Lawful Development Certificates rely on them too.

If you are using the prior approval route, see our page on prior approval drawings. For a certificate that proves permitted development, our Lawful Development Certificate page lists which drawings go in.

A change of use also needs both plans, with the building outline marked, even when no extension is proposed.

Price, turnaround and what comes with the plans

Stand-alone location and block plans cost £39 including VAT. If you take any of our planning packages, they are free inside it, so you never pay twice for the same sheet.

We need the address and a short description of the project. If you have a survey, send it. If not, we can arrange a measured building survey and draw the site plan from that, which gives the most defensible boundary.

Each plan is read by someone outside the drafting before it is issued, as with all our sheets.

Common questions about site plans

Owners often ask whether they can use a free online map. The guidance asks for an up-to-date map at a recognised scale, and screenshots rarely meet it.

Others ask if they need a block plan for a small porch. Usually yes, because the officer needs to see the porch against the boundary and the neighbours. We confirm what your council expects in the constraints check, using the local validation list.