Useful guide · 2026-08-12
Planning drawings and Building Regulations drawings are not the same thing
Both may use plans, elevations and sections, but they answer different questions. Understanding the distinction makes it easier to commission the right level of information at the right stage.
A planning drawing package is primarily about explaining the proposed development clearly enough for the planning process. The emphasis is on the relationship between existing and proposed work, appearance, scale and the information relevant to the application.
Building Regulations drawings go further into how the work is intended to be constructed and coordinated. They typically need more sections, construction information, notes and technical detail because the audience and the questions are different.
That does not mean every small project needs an enormous drawing set. The useful level of detail depends on the scope, the building-control route and which specialist inputs are required. Structural calculations, drainage design, fire strategy or other consultant information may sit alongside the drawing package rather than inside a single designer’s scope.
Keeping the stages distinct helps clients understand what they are paying for and prevents a planning set being mistaken for construction information. It also makes revisions easier because decisions can be resolved progressively rather than all at once.
GKP can support both stages, beginning from an existing survey or carrying out measured work where appropriate, then developing the drawing package around the actual next step.