Ordnance Survey planning maps
1:500 Block Plan and Site Plan
A detailed view of a building plot and its immediate neighbours. Compare the A4 portrait sample, then make a plan for your own site.
When to choose 1:500
Choose 1:500 when a planning application needs the layout around the proposal: buildings, access, nearby plots and the site boundary. It is often called a block plan or site plan. Many councils also ask for a separate 1:1250 location plan to identify the site within the wider street network.
What the sample shows
The Cambridge example covers about 90 by 90 metres (0.81 hectares). At this scale, building footprints, paths and nearby features are large enough to inspect as site context. View the same sheet in Colour Pop or Black & White to compare the styles.
At 1:500, 1 cm on the printed page represents 5 metres on the ground. Compared with 1:1250, this is a closer view with less surrounding area on the same sheet. For a very tight site, 1:200 may give you more room to show detail.
The sample is centred on King's College, Cambridge and marked EXAMPLE. It illustrates the map output; mark your own site boundary and check the local authority's requirements when creating your plan.
Next step
Use the block plan builder to search your address, frame the map, draw your red line and add any labels needed for your submission. Print the final PDF at actual size to preserve the scale.