What drawings do I need for a householder planning application in London?

Existing and proposed plans: the pairs that do most of the work

Most of a householder set comes in matching pairs: existing floor plans beside proposed floor plans, and existing elevations beside proposed elevations. The officer reads them side by side, so the same scale, the same sheet layout and the same north point on both sheets make the change easy to see. Islington's local validation requirements (April 2024) ask for existing and proposed floor plans and elevations at an appropriate scale, usually 1:50 or 1:100, with the north point on all plans.

Elevations show every side of the house that changes, including a blank flank wall. For an extension, they show the existing building too, so it is clear which parts are new work. The floor plans show room layouts, new doors and windows, and anything being knocked down. Our guide to what an architectural drawings package includes lists every sheet in a full set.

An L-shaped side and rear extension has its own planning test, set out in whether a wraparound extension needs planning permission.

Why the council needs both versions of each drawing is explained in the difference between existing and proposed plans.

Elevations and sections: when a section is needed

A section is a vertical slice through the house. It is not on every list for every job, but it becomes necessary when the roof, the floor levels or the ground levels change: a loft, a sunken kitchen extension, a raised terrace or a basement. Islington asks for cross and long sections for new and altered buildings where ground levels change, and asks for existing and proposed ground levels on every extension.

A roof plan joins the set when a roof is new or altered, such as a rear extension with a flat roof and roof lights, or a dormer. If your project is a loft, our post on the drawings a loft conversion needs covers the roof plan and section in more depth.

What London validation lists add beyond the national rule

Local lists differ from borough to borough, and the extras they add are the usual cause of an invalid application. Islington's list is a good example of the detail councils want: drawings to a recognised metric scale, a scale bar on every drawing, a unique number and title on each sheet, and no "do not scale" note. It also asks that neighbouring properties and neighbouring windows are shown on plans, elevations and sections, existing and proposed.

Other London councils word things differently, and some add their own design guides for extensions or roofs. Government guidance says a local list should be reviewed at least every 2 years, so a checklist downloaded for a project a few years ago may be out of date. We read the current list for your council before the drawings are finished, not after the council writes back.

Can I submit my own application with professionally drawn plans?

Yes. Many homeowners are the applicant on their own householder application and simply attach drawings someone else has prepared. The application form, the ownership certificate and the fee are yours; the drawings are ours. The guidance on making an application lists the ownership certificate alongside the plans as part of what every application must include, so if a neighbour or a freeholder owns any part of the site, notice has to be served on them.

If you would rather not deal with the form, we can prepare a fill sheet with every answer ready for you to enter, or submit on your behalf. Either way the drawings are the same. Once the council validates the application, it has 8 weeks to decide a non-major application under article 34 of the 2015 Order, unless you agree a longer period in writing. If you are unsure whether your drawings can be prepared remotely, our post on getting planning drawings online without a site visit explains when a survey is needed.

For how long each stage takes, from survey to decision, see how long planning drawings take to prepare.

What the drawings cost, and what the council charges

Our householder planning drawings start at £745, with the location and block plans included and free redraws until the council accepts the set. The council's application fee is a separate cost, paid to the council when you apply, and the chart below shows it beside our starting fee.

If the council later asks for a change, or refuses the scheme, the drawings can be revised rather than started again. Our post on who can redraw plans after a refusal covers that route, and building control drawings are a separate set, explained in what building control needs for an extension.