Do I have to use the location plan feature, or can I upload a plan like I did before?

The provision of a location plan is already a national requirement when making many types of application, so you will need to create a location plan if your application requires one. The new feature creates a location plan based on your site boundary as a piece of data, and within the application service, making it much easier for agents and applicants.

If you already have the development site boundary as a data file, you can upload it at the start of the process, rather than drawing the boundary on the application service.

You can skip the location plan creator and upload your own file as a supporting document by following the signposts in the application service. Although we recommend that you use the location plan feature to increase the likelihood of submitting a valid planning application. The feature is not compulsory, and you can bypass using it by following the prompts on-screen.