The Perfect Plan
Will my plan show everything I need to make it compliant?
How much do plans cost?
Can I order colour plans?
Can I print my plan?
My plan hasn’t printed at the right size or scale.
Can I outline the boundary of my property on the plan.
The automatic select tool isn’t selecting the area I need to outline.
Your Order
How do I order a plan?
Where is my order?
Can I preview the plan before ordering?
How quickly will I receive my plan?
My property hasn’t been surveyed correctly or the features on the plan aren’t accurate
The planning office want me to show two street names but I can fit them on the plan
Can I purchase my plan as data, eg dxf or dwg, for CAD and GIS software?
I need a different scale and size of plan – where can I get these?
I want to pay for the planning maps by invoice.
Any Other Business
How often is your mapping updated?
I can’t remember my password.
I can't download my plan, can you help?
I've downloaded my plan in PDF format but I can’t view it
How many copies of my plan can I print?
Can I get a refund?
Where can I buy aerial imagery?
Where can I buy historical maps?
The Perfect Plan
Will my plan show everything I need to make it compliant?
Yes. Your plans will include an arrow showing north, scale, grid reference and a unique serial number proving that your plan has been obtained from an approved OS partner. This will meet all local authority guidelines. You can download samples here.
How much do the plans cost?
Our prices depend on the scale and format required. We have the lowest prices in the market and you can see these in our Planning Guide.
Can I order colour plans?
We only provide black & white plans on Blackwell’s Planning Maps to keep our prices low. It makes no difference when registering for planning permission or land registry whether the plan is in colour or not. If you do require a colour plan, this can be purchased from our professional website at Blackwellmapping.co.uk, or contact an expert: maps@blackwells.co.uk
Can I print my plan?
Yes. Our plans are produced in PDF format, and can be printed on any standard printer on A4 paper. Please ensure your printer settings are set not to resize your plan, as this will distort the scale, and could mean the plan is rejected.
My plan hasn’t printed at the right size or scale.
Please ensure your printer settings are set not to resize your plan, as this will distort the scale and may lead to a failed planning application. Options such as ‘fit to page’ or ‘scale to fit’ should be deactivated. Our plans should print at 100% scale (or choose the ‘actual size’ option) on A4 paper. Scanning plans can also distort the scale. If you need bigger plans or a different scale, please contact us for assistance.
Can I outline the boundary of my property on the plan?
Yes. Simply follow the instructions on screen when you are creating your plan online. You can auto-select an area or draw your boundary line freehand. You can choose a red line to outline the property in question, or a blue line for additional land owned or the neighbouring affected property (for planning consent based on a neighbour’s approval). See our How to Guide.
NB These tools are designed to be used for simple outlines. If you need a more complicated area, we suggest you download the map and use external software (eg Illustrator), or use our professional website.
The automatic select tool isn't selecting the area I need to outline
If the auto-select isn't working for you, you can draw your boundary line using the freehand tool. If you are suing this tool please ensure to double-click on your first point to close the area off. See our How to Guide.
You also can see online annotation instructions by clicking on the orange icon (see below).
How do I order a plan?
Ordering online is simple and fast. Please see our Planning Guide and our How to Guide.
Where is my order?
Once you've bought your map(s), these will be available to download from your account section. Go to Blackwell's Planning Maps and log in to your account.
Simply click on the Account icon, then select Your Orders, to view and download your orders (see below images).
Can I preview the plan before ordering?
Yes, using our interactive interface you are able to preview your plan live on screen as you create it, so you can be sure you are buying the correct plan.
How quickly will I receive my plan?
Once your transaction is complete, it should only take a few seconds before can download your plan.
My property hasn’t been surveyed correctly or the features on the plan aren’t accurate?
We use the most up to date mapping data feed from the Ordnance Survey, which is updated every 6-8 weeks. It may be that the property or new features in question have not been surveyed yet. You will need to contact Ordnance Survey directly to request any amendments. www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/contact/
The planning office want me to show two street names but I can't fit them on the plan
In general, local authorities need two street names to be shown on the plan. In some cases (usually if a property is large or in a rural area) it may not be possible to fit two street names on a standard 1:1250 scale plan.
All our plans will have OS grid coordinates on them to help your local authority identify where a property is; but it may be that they need you to submit a less detailed plan covering a wider area (say, 1:2500 or 1:5000). We recommend speaking to your local authority and checking their requirements to avoid delays to your application.
Can I purchase my plan as data, eg dxf or dwg, for CAD and GIS software?
Yes. You can choose 4 different sizes of area and purchase these as in a dxf or dwg format. If you need any other format or product requirements, visit our professional mapping service at Blackwellmapping.co.uk, or contact an expert: maps@blackwells.co.uk
I need a different scale and size of plan – where can I get these?
Blackwell’s provides a professional mapping service at Blackwellmapping.co.uk. We supply a comprehensive range of sizes, scales and formats.
Can I pay for the plans by invoice?
You can only pay for your plans on Blackwell’s Planning Maps using a credit or debit card. However, if you need to buy maps for your business or organisation, you can apply for a free invoicing account to use with our professional mapping service: Blackwellmapping.co.uk. Please contact us: maps@blackwells.co.uk
How often is your mapping updated?
Blackwell’s takes a direct feed from the Ordnance survey, which is updated every 6-8 weeks, so it is the most up to date available. It may be that the property or new features in question have not been surveyed yet. You will need to contact Ordnance Survey directly to request any amendments. www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/contact/
I can’t remember my password?
You can retrieve your password from the login screen (see below). Or contact us for assistance.
I can't download my plan. Can you help?
Once your plan(s) have been created they will be ready to download from your account section.
Go to Blackwell's Planning Maps and log in to your account.
Simply click on the Account icon, then select Your Orders, to view and download your orders (see below images).
I've downloaded my plan in PDF format but I can’t view it?
You will need to have Adode Reader software on your Mac or PC to view your map. You download this free here. If you already have Adobe, but you can’t open the file directly from the website, you may need to download software to open the Zip file.
Windows 7 onwards already has unzipping software (simply right-click the zip file and chose "Extract All"). However we also recommend JZip, which is free to download here.
Please see our How to guide for unzipping files.
How many copies of my plan can I print?
Ordnance Survey Mapping is Crown Copyright (©). The licence included in the price of your plan allows you to submit it to official bodies like councils and the Land Registry; and you can save the plan electronically for your records and print up to six copies.
Can I get a refund?
Our planning site is designed to ensure that you can order perfect plans every time. It has an in-built preview area so you can fully check and amend your plans before you buy. We've also provided help guides to help you through the process. Therefore our plans are not-refundable.
Where can I buy aerial imagery?
We have a full range of aerial imagery available in a range of formats and detail, depending on the imagery required. Visit Blackwellmapping.co.uk, or contact an expert maps@blackwells.co.uk
Where can I buy historical maps?
Blackwell’s provides a full online historical map service, where you can preview you historical map before you buy! Visit Blackwellmapping.co.uk, or contact an expert maps@blackwells.co.uk
Need more help and advice? Contact an expert: maps@blackwells.co.uk