1:1,250 Location Plan: Size, Coverage and Use

What 1:1,250 shows

At 1:1,250, 1 millimetre on the sheet represents 1.25 metres on the ground and 1 centimetre represents 12.5 metres. This is often detailed enough to distinguish individual buildings and plots while showing the roads or other features needed to locate a normal residential or small commercial site.

Coverage is not fixed by the scale alone. Paper size, orientation, title block and map-frame margins determine how much ground appears, so select the final A4 or A3 output before drawing the boundary.

When it is a sensible location scale

Use 1:1,250 where the complete red-line site remains visible and the map includes enough surrounding roads, buildings or landmarks to identify it without guesswork. It commonly suits householder work, a single plot, a small infill site or a modest change of use.

• Keep the red boundary continuous and legible
• Include land necessary for access and other integral parts of the proposal
• Show other nearby applicant-owned land in blue where the applicable rules require it
• Retain north, the stated scale, sheet size and mapping licence information

When 1:1,250 is too close

Move to wider context when a long access, large holding, irregular boundary or remote site cannot be identified adequately at 1:1,250. A 1:2,500 location plan can help, but a separate 1:500 or 1:200 site plan may still be needed to show the proposal in detail.

England and Wales commonly use 1:1,250 and 1:2,500. Scotland's national guidance and Northern Irish council checklists use different wording, so check the nation and authority rather than treating 1:1,250 as a UK-wide entitlement.

Define the application site at 1:1,250

Draw the red line around the land forming the application site, not merely around the proposed structure or an assumed title boundary. Include land necessary for the development, such as a relevant private access, parking, visibility splay or landscape area. Show other close or adjoining applicant-owned land in blue where the applicable rules require it.

At 1:1,250, narrow access strips and small gaps can still be obscured by a heavy line. Use a precise line weight, inspect every corner at the intended sheet size and compare the result with the ownership certificate and site area on the form.

Issue and verify the finished sheet

The final plan should state 1:1,250 together with its original paper size and include north, a linear scale bar, readable context and the required mapping acknowledgement and licence details. Add a plan title, site address, drawing reference and date or revision where the map forms part of a controlled drawing set.

• Open the exported PDF independently
• Confirm the embedded A4 or A3 page size
• Check that no road name, boundary or licence text is cropped
• Print one test at Actual size when a paper copy is required
• Measure the scale bar rather than trusting the print preview