Planning drawings
Planning drawings for home alterations and extensions
When the council needs to understand the proposed change, planning drawings turn your idea into a clear application route.
We help confirm whether you need planning permission, a lawful route, or a different drawing step before submitting.
Short answer
What this means
Planning drawings explain the existing home, the proposed change and how the project sits on the site so the council can assess it.
For your home
Why it matters
The risk is not only bad drawings. The risk is submitting the wrong route and losing weeks. The drawing pack should match the permission route.
Next step
What to do now
Send the address, photos and the change you want. We will advise whether planning drawings are likely to be the right next move.
Who is behind the advice
Local project advice from Josh and PlanBuild.
The page exists to help homeowners work out the practical route before drawings, structure, permissions and builder pricing become separate conversations.
Who
PlanBuild gives local project advice for homeowners around Poole, Bournemouth and Dorset.
How
We start from photos, address, existing plans, site constraints and the likely approval or build route.
Why
The aim is to point you at the right next step before you waste money on the wrong drawing, quote or contractor conversation.
Good fit
- Extensions
- visible external changes
- projects where council approval may be needed
Not the right route if
- pure builder pricing with no design change
- guaranteed approval requests
What to send first
- address
- photos
- existing plans if you have them
- what is changing externally
Related routes
Keep the route connected
Floor plans
Floor plans show what is there now, what you want to change, and give the council, engineer, Building Control or builder something precise to work from.
Open route →Building Control drawings
Building Control drawings and supporting information help inspectors assess structure, insulation, fire safety, ventilation and the construction details that matter on site.
Open route →Single-storey extensions
For a single-storey extension, the key route is usually floor plans, planning or lawful route, Building Control/structural detail, then a builder price tied to that same scope.
Open route →Questions homeowners ask
Before you choose the route
Do all extensions need planning permission?
No. Some work may fall under permitted development, but the route depends on the property, size, location and previous changes.
Can you submit the application?
Yes. Where planning is the right route, we can prepare drawings and handle the application process.
Free first response
Tell us what you’re planning.
Whether it’s a bigger kitchen, an open-plan downstairs or a wall you’ve pictured coming down for years, send the details here first. We’ll point you at the cleanest next step:
- “Who do I speak to first?”
- “What’s the actual first step?”
- “Does my project need planning permission?”
- “Do I need Building Control?”
- “Which certificates do I end up with at the end?”
- “Who keeps the whole thing compliant?”
Drop a few details below and we'll tell you who should be involved first: designer, engineer, Building Control or builder.
Start here hub page
Not sure which drawings, approvals or builder route you need?
Use the floor plans hub first. It explains whether your home improvement starts with existing/proposed plans, planning drawings, Building Control, structural calculations or a builder quote pack.
See the floor plans and drawing route →Quickest route: send the project details, or call if it is urgent.