What Is a Site Location Plan? Newcastle & Tyneside Requirements
Updated: Oct 3
A site location plan is a scaled, map-based drawing — usually 1:1250 — that shows where your property sits in relation to surrounding roads, buildings and neighbouring land, with the application site outlined in red. It is one of the standard documents required for most householder planning applications in Newcastle and across England.
Newcastle, Gateshead, North Tyneside and South Tyneside all check location plans against the same document: the Tyneside Validation Checklist. This guide explains what it asks for, the mistakes that get applications sent back, and where to get a plan the council will accept.
What is a site location plan?
A site location plan is a map-based drawing that shows where a property sits within its surrounding area — the neighbouring streets, buildings and land nearby.
For a planning application, it gives the council a clear picture of exactly which property the application relates to. Without it, the planning officer cannot identify the site or confirm the application is for the correct address.
What a location plan must show: the Tyneside rules
Under the Tyneside Validation Checklist, a location plan must be based on an up-to-date map, drawn at a stated metric scale, and show enough of the surrounding area to pinpoint the site.
Item | What it means |
Red line boundary | Shows all land included in the planning application, including access from the road |
Blue line boundary | Shows any other nearby land owned by the applicant |
North point | Confirms the orientation of the plan |
Scale | 1:1250 or 1:2500, stated on the plan |
Surrounding roads and buildings | Helps the council identify the exact site |
OS-based mapping | Provides a properly scaled, licensed planning map |
For a typical house in Newcastle, 1:1250 is the right scale. 1:2500 is used for larger or rural sites.
Before you submit, try Newcastle City Council's online validation check tool. It covers householder applications and Lawful Development Certificates, and lists the documents your project is likely to need.
Why is the site location plan required?
The council uses the site location plan at the validation stage to confirm the application is for the correct property. Newcastle City Council checks incoming applications against the Tyneside Validation Checklist before anything moves forward for assessment.
If the location plan is missing, unclear or not drawn to scale, the application may fail validation and be returned before it is even assessed. That adds time and delays the start of the planning process.
If you want the wider list of drawings and documents, read our Newcastle planning application validation checklist.
Can you use Google Maps or Apple Maps?
A normal screenshot from Google Maps, Apple Maps or another online map is not suitable for a formal planning application, for two main reasons.
First, online map screenshots do not carry the correct copyright licence for planning application use. Ordnance Survey mapping is the standard basis for UK planning location plans, and using unlicensed map data can create problems with the submission.
Second, a screenshot cannot be relied on as a properly scaled planning drawing. A planning-compliant location plan needs to show the correct scale, usually 1:1250 or 1:2500, and it should be produced clearly enough for formal planning use.
What is the red line, and where should it go?
The red line is drawn around the boundary of the application site on the location plan. For most householder applications, this is the boundary of the property itself — the house, garden, access, parking area and any outbuildings included in the application.
A few situations come up again and again in Newcastle:
Terraced house with a back lane. Draw the line along your rear boundary. Only take in the lane if the work itself depends on it, for example a new access onto it.
Semi-detached or detached house with a drive. Include the driveway up to the pavement, because that is your access from the public road.
Tyneside flat. Draw around the land that belongs to your flat. If the red line takes in land owned by someone else, such as a shared yard, you complete Ownership Certificate B and give that owner formal notice before you submit.
Common mistakes with the red line include:
drawing it too tight, leaving out part of the garden or curtilage
drawing it too large, including neighbouring land or public highway
cutting across a building rather than following the boundary
not closing the line properly around the whole site
missing the access route where it forms part of the application site
If the red line does not correctly represent the application site, the council may ask for it to be redrawn before the application can proceed.
Is a site location plan the same as a block plan?
No. A site location plan shows where the property sits in the surrounding area. A block plan shows the plot itself in detail — the building footprint, boundaries, proposed works and key dimensions. Most householder applications need both. We explain the second drawing in What Is a Block Plan?
When do you need a site location plan?
You need a site location plan for most formal planning applications, including:
householder planning applications
full planning applications
change of use applications
retrospective planning applications
Lawful Development Certificate applications
Even where the proposed work is small, the council still needs to identify the property clearly, so a correctly drawn location plan is almost always required. For example, if you are planning a rear extension, the location plan identifies the property, while the block plan and proposed drawings explain what is changing.
Where to get a location plan
You have two practical options:
Buy one online from an Ordnance Survey-licensed seller. The Planning Portal lists approved suppliers. You choose the scale, mark your boundary on screen and download a PDF. It costs tens of pounds, not hundreds.
Get it as part of your drawing package, prepared alongside the floor plans, elevations and block plan so that every drawing shows the same boundary.
What not to reuse:
A Land Registry title plan. It isn't licensed for planning use and the scale is often unsuitable.
A location plan from an old application. Copying Ordnance Survey mapping without a licence breaches copyright, and an old map may be out of date.
On newer estates, such as Newcastle Great Park, check that your house actually appears on the map before you buy. A plan showing an empty field where your house stands will be queried.
What happens if the site location plan is wrong?
If the location plan is incorrect, the council will usually flag it at the validation stage. The application may be returned with a request for a corrected plan before it can be registered — adding days or weeks before the planning assessment starts.
In some cases, a mistake is not spotted until later in the process, which can create complications if the red line does not match the actual application site. Typical problems include the wrong property being outlined, the red line missing part of the garden or the access route, the plan being out of date, or the scale not being clear.
Getting the location plan right from the start avoids these delays.
Frequently asked questions
Is a site location plan required for every planning application?
A site location plan is required for most planning applications because the council needs to identify the application site clearly. This usually includes householder applications, full planning applications, Lawful Development Certificate applications and retrospective applications.
What scale do councils expect for a location plan?
For most householder planning applications, a site location plan is prepared at 1:1250, or 1:2500 for larger sites. The plan should also include a north point and enough surrounding roads or buildings to identify the site clearly.
Does Sunderland use the same rules?
No. The Tyneside Validation Checklist covers Newcastle, Gateshead, North Tyneside and South Tyneside. Sunderland City Council publishes its own validation requirements.
What is the difference between a site location plan and a block plan?
A site location plan shows where the property sits in the wider surrounding area. A block plan shows the application site in more detail, including the building, boundaries, proposed works and key dimensions.
How Set Square Drafting prepares site location plans
Set Square Drafting produces OS-based site location plans for householder planning applications across Newcastle upon Tyne and the wider North East.
Every location plan is prepared from current Ordnance Survey data at the correct scale, with the application site boundary drawn accurately and clearly. The plan is checked against the other drawings in the package to make sure everything is consistent before the PDF pack is issued.
For most standard residential projects, the location plan is included as part of the full planning drawing package alongside floor plans, elevations and a block plan.
Need planning drawings for a Newcastle application?
If you are planning a house extension, loft conversion, garage conversion or other residential project in Newcastle or the North East, send your project details. We will review the brief and provide a fixed quote within 24 hours, before any work begins.
Set Square Drafting — Newcastle planning drawings from £450, including a correctly prepared site location plan ready for council submission.
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