You can now order a site location plan online by searching the address, drawing the application boundary, choosing the scale and downloading the finished PDF. For a straightforward house or small site, the ordering process can take around five minutes.
However, "fast" doesn't always mean "correct." With dozens of websites selling planning maps, it is easy to buy the wrong scale, the wrong format, or a map that isn't actually licensed for planning use.
This guide walks through the process, explains the difference between a site location plan and block plan, and shows what to check before uploading the map to a planning application.
A step-by-step guide to buying a compliant site location plan online.
Checklist: What You Need Before You Start
You don't need a credit card just yet. First, ensure you have these three things:
- The correct address or site position: For land without a postal address, use the nearest postcode, coordinates or map navigation to locate it.
- The application-site extent: Decide what land is part of the proposal and what access, visibility, parking or landscaping must be inside the red line.
- The required drawing set: A PDF location plan is usually uploaded with the application. A block plan and architectural drawings may also be needed; CAD is useful when a designer needs editable base mapping.
Step 1: Search Your Address
Open the site location plan builder, enter the address or postcode and select the matching result.
What happens next? You will see a digital map centered on your property.
- Tip: Confirm the building number, road and surrounding junctions rather than trusting the first map pin. Flats, new builds, rural land and sites with several titles need extra care.
Step 2: Draw Your Red Line Boundary (Critical Step)
The red line identifies the planning application site. It is not automatically the same thing as a Land Registry title boundary or the visible fence line.
- Select the Tool: Click "Draw Boundary" (often a pencil icon).
- Start Clicking: Click the corners of your property.
- Follow the application extent: Use fences and walls only where they genuinely match the land included in the application.
- Include necessary access: Government guidance says the red line should include all land needed to carry out the development, including access from a public highway where relevant.
- Close the Shape: Click back on your starting point to finish the shape.
If the applicant owns or controls other nearby land outside the application site, outline that land in blue. Review the red-line boundary guide before ordering if access or ownership is complicated.
Step 3: Choose Your Map Pack
Once your boundary is drawn, you need to select the product. You usually have three choices:
Option A: Site Location Plan PDF
- Best for: Applications where you already have the remaining drawings.
- Typical choice: An A4 1:1250 plan for a house or compact site; 1:2500 or wider coverage for larger and rural sites.
- Current standard price: £19.95 for the standard A4 1:1250 option.
Option B: Location + Site Plan Bundle
- Best for: Projects that need both a location plan and a closer block/site plan.
- What you get: A 1:1250 location plan and 1:500 site plan as A4 PDFs.
- Current bundle price: £29.50.
Option C: CAD Mapping
- Best for: Architects, surveyors and design teams that need editable base mapping.
- What you get: DWG and DXF linework generated from licensed OS mapping.
- Price: CAD planning maps start at £14.95 and increase with scale and coverage.
CAD does not replace the final PDF drawing set. It is the editable base used to create and coordinate those drawings.
Checklist: What You Need Before You Start.
Step 4: Preview and Check
STOP! Do not click "Buy" yet. Look for the "Preview" button.
A useful preview should show:
- The correct application site and enough surrounding roads or buildings to locate it
- A clear red line around the complete application site
- Any required blue line around other nearby land owned or controlled by the applicant
- A north point and stated metric scale
- The whole red boundary inside the printable map frame
If the map looks "blank" or your house is cut off at the edge, go back to Step 1 and re-center it.
Step 5: Checkout and Download
Enter your email address carefully—this is where your maps will be sent. Pay securely.
PlanningMapsUK generates planning maps after checkout.
- Use the order-status page to download the available PDFs or CAD files.
- Keep the confirmation email and invoice with the project records.
- Open every file and confirm the site, boundary, scale and paper size before uploading it.
What Does a Council Check on a Location Plan?
Government planning guidance says a location plan should normally:
- Be based on an up-to-date map
- Use a typical scale of 1:1250 or 1:2500
- Fit A4 or A3 paper where possible
- Show enough adjoining roads or buildings to identify the exact location
- Edge the application site clearly in red
- Include all land needed to carry out the development
- Show north and an identified scale
Local validation requirements may add further details. The map does not replace floor plans, elevations, sections, surveys or other documents needed to describe the proposal.
How to Check an Online Planning Map Supplier
Price alone does not tell you whether a location plan is suitable. Check the output and supplier before ordering.
Red Flags to Watch For:
- No identified scale or north point: A screenshot that merely looks right is not a fixed-scale planning plan.
- Unclear source or reuse rights: Confirm the provider can lawfully supply the mapping for your intended use.
- No preview: You should be able to check the site position, coverage and boundary before finalising the order.
- No corrections process: Read what happens if the address, boundary or paper size is wrong.
- Vague deliverables: Confirm whether you are buying PDF, DWG, DXF or a bundle.
PlanningMapsUK is an Ordnance Survey licensed partner. Our map outputs state their scale and licensing information and can be previewed before checkout.
Ordering a Site Location Plan: FAQs
Q: How much does a site location plan cost?
A: PlanningMapsUK's standard A4 1:1250 site location plan currently costs £19.95. The 1:1250 location plan and 1:500 site plan bundle costs £29.50. Larger coverage, paper sizes and CAD products cost more.
Q: Can I edit the map after I buy it?
A: A PDF is intended as a fixed-scale finished sheet, although annotations may be added with suitable tools. DWG and DXF are editable CAD formats for design teams. Do not resize a finished PDF because that changes its stated print scale.
Q: What if I made a mistake with the boundary after buying?
A: Contact support promptly and explain the change. Whether a file can be corrected or regenerated depends on the order and the requested amendment; the map acceptance and corrections policy explains the available support.
Q: Do I need to print it out?
A: Most planning applications are submitted online via the Planning Portal. You just upload the PDF file you downloaded. You do not need to print it unless you are submitting a paper application by post.
Q: Is the map valid forever?
A: Councils expect location plans to use up-to-date mapping. If the application is delayed or the site and surroundings change, check whether the plan should be regenerated. Also retain the supplier's licence and order terms for your records.
Conclusion
Ordering a site location plan online is the standard way to apply for planning permission in 2026. It is fast, accurate, and cost-effective.
The key checks are:
- Select the correct site and coverage.
- Draw the complete red application boundary and any required blue boundary.
- Choose 1:1250 or 1:2500 for the location plan, unless the council needs something different.
- Order the block plan or CAD base only when the project requires it.
- Open and inspect the finished files before submission.
Order your site location plan online and preview the site before checkout.