What is genuinely available free
Online map viewers can help identify a property. Council planning records may contain older application plans. UKPlanningMaps.com also provides a free preview of Ordnance Survey MasterMap data before purchase.
Why screenshots cause problems
Browser screenshots may change size when printed, omit licence statements, use an unsuitable data source or fail to show a north point and correct boundary.
When an old plan can be reused
Only consider reuse if it remains current, correctly licensed, accurate for the present application and clear at the required scale. A changed site or outdated map should be replaced.
Free viewing is different from a reusable planning document
A public map viewer, search preview or historic planning file can help you identify land, but viewing access does not automatically grant the right to copy, alter and submit that map. It also does not guarantee a recognised scale, current detail, clear boundary tools or a fixed printable page.
Test any no-cost option against the same checklist
Judge a free plan by the receiving authority's requirements, not by whether it looks like a map. It must identify the site, show the correct application boundary and necessary context, retain north and scale information and carry the mapping attribution and permissions required for its use.
- Current enough to represent the site
- Correct metric scale at the stated sheet size
- Red and blue boundaries shown where applicable
- Roads or landmarks remain readable
- Copyright and licence details remain visible
- Final PDF or print has not been resized
An old application plan may not be reusable
A plan downloaded from a council's planning register was prepared for a different application and may be out of date, at a poor scan quality or subject to copyright restrictions. Its red line may also define a different site. Use it as background research unless you have verified currency, permission, scale and suitability for the new submission.
Local requirements may differ. Check the current validation list for your planning authority before submitting.
Evidence checked 18 August 2026
Official sources and further reading
Planning requirements differ across the UK. The scope label on each source shows where it applies; always use the current rules for the authority receiving the application.
Questions people also ask
Is Google Maps acceptable?
General web mapping is not a dependable substitute for a correctly licensed, scaled planning map.
Can I preview before paying?
Yes. UKPlanningMaps.com offers a free preview of its OS MasterMap data.
Can I use a screenshot from a free online map?
Do not assume so. Screenshots commonly lack a reliable print scale, planning-use licence details, a north point or the boundary information required by the authority.
Can I reuse a location plan from an earlier application?
Only after checking that the map, site boundary, scale, sheet size and usage rights remain suitable for the new application. A changed proposal or site usually needs a newly checked plan.
Is a Land Registry title plan a free substitute?
No. A title plan has a land-registration purpose and normally shows general boundaries in England and Wales; it is not automatically a current planning location plan.
Ready to create your planning map?
Search by postcode or address, choose the scale and coverage, add your application boundary and download from UKPlanningMaps.com. For help with an unusual site, call 01856 898 022.
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