Site plan, location plan and section drawing: complete guide
Location plan, site plan, section drawing: these three documents form the backbone of any planning permission application. Each one answers a specific question — where the project is located, how it sits on the plot, and what its volume looks like vertically. Confusing them or rushing them is the most common reason planning officers request additional information. This article covers the purpose, content and mistakes to avoid for each of these drawings.
The location plan (PCMI 1)
The location plan answers a simple question: where is the plot within the local area? It is the broadest view, the one that allows the planning officer to place your project geographically.
What it contains
- The location of the plot on an extract from an IGN map or the land registry (cadastre)
- Access routes (roads, tracks)
- Neighbouring buildings and plots
- True north
- A circle or rectangle clearly identifying the plot in question
Scale and format
The location plan is drawn at a scale of 1:5,000 to 1:25,000. At this scale, your house is invisible — only the plot appears as a small rectangle.
Tip — The easiest way to obtain a location plan is to use Géoportail (IGN). You can extract an aerial view or an IGN map centred on your plot. Print it to scale, add north, circle the plot and it’s ready.
Common mistakes on the location plan (PCMI 1)
- Scale missing or incorrect: always show the scale on the plan
- Plot not identified: the plot must be clearly circled or indicated with an arrow
- No orientation: the north arrow is mandatory
- View too close: the plan must show the wider context (access routes, neighbouring buildings)
The site plan (PCMI 2)
The site plan is the most detailed drawing in the application. It shows the exact position of the building on the plot along with all regulatory constraints.
What it contains
| Element | Detail |
|---|---|
| Plot boundaries | With dimensions (length of each side) |
| Building footprint | Outline of the house on the ground |
| Regulatory setbacks | Distances from the public road and boundary lines |
| Access and parking | Vehicle access, parking spaces |
| Services | Connections for foul water (FW), surface water (SW), mains water, electricity, telecoms |
| Green spaces | Existing trees (to be retained or felled), planned planting |
| Levels | Natural ground level (NGL) and finished level dimensions |
| Fencing | Existing and proposed |
| Existing structures | If the plot is not a clean site |
Scale and format
The site plan is drawn at 1:200 or 1:500. At 1:200, 1 cm = 2 m: setback distances, access widths and the building footprint can all be read clearly.
Mandatory dimensions
The following dimensions are essential on the site plan:
- Distances to boundary lines (left, right, rear of plot)
- Distance to the public road (setback or alignment)
- Dimensions of the building footprint
- Width of vehicle access (minimum 3 m as a general rule)
- Level dimensions: natural ground level (NGL) at the corners of the plot and at the building
Warning — The site plan must be consistent with the local planning rules (PLU). Before drawing it, check the setback, footprint and height rules in the local planning rules (PLU) for your local area. A 50 cm discrepancy between your plan and the PLU rules is enough to block your planning permission.
Services on the site plan
Underground services must appear on the site plan using conventional colour coding:
| Service | Colour | Symbol |
|---|---|---|
| Mains water | Blue | Continuous line |
| Foul water (FW) | Brown | Continuous line + flow arrow |
| Surface water (SW) | Green | Continuous line + flow arrow |
| Electricity | Red | Continuous line |
| Telecoms | Light green | Dashed line |
| Gas | Yellow | Continuous line |
Good practice — Ask the utility providers (electricity distributor, water supplier, telecom operator) for existing service plans before drawing your site plan. This avoids surprises at the connection stage and lets you position manholes and meter boxes in the right place.
Common mistakes on the site plan (PCMI 2)
- Setback dimensions missing: every distance between the building and the boundaries must be dimensioned
- Services absent: foul water, surface water, mains water and electricity connections must all be shown
- Levels omitted: without level dimensions, the planning officer cannot verify compliance with PLU height rules
- Vehicle access not detailed: width, surface material and connection to the public road
The section drawing (PCMI 3)
The section drawing shows the building and the plot in vertical cross-section. It is the only drawing that reveals heights, slopes and the relationship between the building and the natural ground level.
What it contains
- The natural ground level (NGL) profile before and after construction
- The building profile: foundations, walls, floors, roof
- Regulatory heights: ridge height, eaves level, parapet
- Reference levels: 0.00 (finished ground floor), floor levels
- Roof pitch (in degrees or as a percentage)
- Any excavation and fill
Scale and format
The section drawing is drawn at 1:50 or 1:100. It must show the natural ground level beyond the building footprint, up to the property boundaries where possible.
check on the section drawing?} -->|Height| B[Ridge and eaves
compliant with PLU?] A -->|Ground| C[Is the NGL
respected?] A -->|Foundations| D[Depth consistent
with ground survey?] A -->|Access| E[Is the finished level
accessible?] B --> F{COMPLIANT} C --> F D --> F E --> F style A fill:#0F4C81,stroke:#0F4C81,color:#fff style B fill:#F58220,stroke:#F58220,color:#fff style C fill:#F58220,stroke:#F58220,color:#fff style D fill:#F58220,stroke:#F58220,color:#fff style E fill:#F58220,stroke:#F58220,color:#fff style F fill:#56C6A9,stroke:#56C6A9,color:#fff
The section line
The section drawing is not an arbitrary view: it follows a section line defined on the site plan. This line is shown with arrows at each end and a letter (e.g. A-A).
The section line must pass through the most significant elements:
- The highest point of the building (ridge)
- The slope of the natural ground if it is significant
- Changes in level (if the house has a basement or split level)
Tip — If your plot slopes, produce two perpendicular sections (A-A and B-B). The planning officer will then be able to check heights in both slope directions. It is not mandatory, but it considerably speeds up the assessment process.
Common mistakes on the section drawing (PCMI 3)
- Natural ground level absent or shown as flat when the plot slopes: the planning officer will spot this immediately
- Heights not dimensioned: ridge, eaves level and finished floor must all be dimensioned relative to NGL
- Section line poorly positioned: it does not pass through the highest point of the building
- Scale inconsistent with the other drawings: dimensions must correspond
Comparison of the three drawings
| Criteria | Location plan | Site plan | Section drawing |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCMI reference | PCMI 1 | PCMI 2 | PCMI 3 |
| Scale | 1:5,000 to 1:25,000 | 1:200 to 1:500 | 1:50 to 1:100 |
| View | Broad aerial | Close aerial | Vertical cross-section |
| Question | Where is the plot? | How does the building sit on it? | What is its volume? |
| Key elements | Roads, context | Setbacks, services, access | Heights, slope, levels |
| Difficulty | Easy (Géoportail) | Medium (PLU rules) | High (level survey) |
Drawing your plans yourself or hiring a professional?
For the location plan, you can do it yourself without any problem using Géoportail. It is the simplest of the three.
For the site plan, it is achievable on a self-build project if you are comfortable with drawing software (SketchUp, Sweet Home 3D, LibreCAD) and have a good grasp of the local planning rules (PLU). The main difficulty is the level survey: you need natural ground level dimensions, which only a land surveyor can provide accurately.
For the section drawing, the complexity depends on your plot. On a flat plot, it is fairly straightforward. On a sloping plot, with a basement or crawl space, it is better to hand this drawing to a draughtsperson or an architect to avoid level errors.
Warning — The site plan and the section drawing must be perfectly consistent with each other. The level dimensions on the site plan must correspond exactly to the heights on the section drawing. The planning officer mentally overlays the two: any inconsistency will result in a rejection or a request for additional information.
How the three drawings relate to the full PCMI application
The three drawings form a coherent set with the other documents in the planning application. Here is how they fit together:
- The location plan (PCMI 1) allows the plot to be located in order to check easements and regulatory zones
- The site plan (PCMI 2) is the reference document for checking compliance with PLU rules (setbacks, footprint, COS)
- The section drawing (PCMI 3) completes the site plan by adding the vertical dimension
To go further on the full application, see our guide on putting together your planning permission application. And to decode all the symbols on these drawings, revisit the basics in reading an architectural plan.
Checklist: checking your 3 drawings before submission
- Location plan: scale shown, plot circled, north present, access routes visible
- Site plan: footprint dimensioned, road and boundary setbacks dimensioned
- Site plan: foul water, surface water, mains water and electricity services shown
- Site plan: vehicle access dimensioned (width + connection to public road)
- Site plan: natural ground level dimensions at plot corners
- Section drawing: natural ground level before and after construction drawn
- Section drawing: ridge and eaves heights dimensioned relative to NGL
- Section drawing: section line referenced on the site plan
- Section drawing: 0.00 level, foundations and floor levels indicated
- Consistency between the three drawings checked (dimensions, orientation, sizes)