I Am Preparing a Planning Application
Show the existing property and proposed changes clearly. We can identify the drawings needed for your proposal and coordinate them with planning support where instructed.
2D Architect Drawings
2D Architectural Drawings With Planning By Design
Clear, scaled drawings that turn your ideas into a design you can review and progress.
Our team of Chartered Architects and architectural designers prepares 2D CAD drawings for residential and commercial projects. From floor plans and elevations to site plans and sections, we help you explain what is there now and what you want to change.
What Do You Need Drawings For?
I Need Plans for the Next Design Stage
Share your current drawings and explain whether you need design changes, 3D visualisation or technical information. We will help you identify the appropriate drawing package.
Architectural Expertise
Chartered Architects and architectural designers.
Planning & Design
Coordinated support for your project.
Residential & Commercial
Drawings for different building types.
Clear Deliverables
An agreed scope before work starts.
Why Are 2D Architectural Drawings Important?
A set of drawings explains a building in ways that photographs or a written brief cannot. Floor plans show how rooms connect, elevations show the outside, and site plans show the proposal in its surroundings.
Accurate existing information provides the starting point for developing the design. The agreed plans can then inform a planning application, further technical design and discussions with builders. The level of detail must match the purpose of the drawings.
2D Drawings for Planning Applications
Existing and Proposed Information
Drawings allow the local planning authority to compare the current site with the proposed development, including its layout, scale and external appearance.
A Package Matched to Your Application
The drawings needed depend on the proposal, application type and relevant validation requirements. We identify the appropriate plans rather than assuming every project needs the same set.
Missing or unclear information can delay validation or lead to requests for additional details. A complete drawing package does not guarantee planning approval; the proposal must also be assessed against the relevant planning policies.
Common Types of 2D Architectural Drawings
Each drawing explains a different part of the proposal. Your package will reflect the work you are planning.
Existing & Proposed Elevations
External views show the relevant sides of the building before and after the works, including its height, windows, doors and proposed materials.
Existing & Proposed Floor Plans
Floor plans show the internal layout, room uses, walls, openings and dimensions. Comparing existing and proposed plans makes the intended changes easier to understand.
Existing & Proposed Block Plans
Block plans show the development within the site, including buildings, access, boundaries and relevant hard-surfaced areas. They help explain its relationship with nearby properties.
Site Location Plans
A location plan identifies the application site within the wider area. It shows surrounding roads and properties, with the site boundary, orientation and ownership information marked as required.
Additional Drawings Your Project May Need
Some proposals need further views or specialist information to explain the design and its impact.
Existing & Proposed Roof Plans
A view from above explains the roof form, ridges, valleys, rooflights and dormers, together with proposed changes and relevant materials.
Section Drawings
Sections show a vertical cut through the building or site. They help explain floor levels, building heights, internal spaces and relationships with surrounding ground levels.
Visibility Splays
Visibility drawings show sightlines at vehicle access points. The dimensions and information required depend on the access proposal and relevant highway requirements.
Street Scene Elevations
A street scene places the proposal alongside neighbouring buildings to explain its height, scale and appearance in context.
Landscape Plans
Landscape drawings show proposed planting, pathways and outdoor spaces, with existing features and other information included as needed for the project.
Swept Path Analysis
Swept path drawings show the space a vehicle needs to enter, leave and manoeuvre around a site. They help assess whether the proposed access and layout accommodate the vehicle’s turning movements.
Check the Planning Route Before Detailed Design
Pre-Planning Advice
A Planning Appraisal can help identify constraints, feasibility and the likely route before you invest in detailed drawings.
Planning Permission
Where an application is needed, the drawing package and planning documents can be coordinated around the proposed development.
Permitted Development
Some projects may qualify under Permitted Development. Drawings can help assess the proposal and support a Lawful Development Certificate application where appropriate.
Planning Appraisal effectively becomes FREE if you proceed with any further Planning By Design service.
The appraisal fee is deducted from your quote/invoice, including if you proceed with drawings only.
How Our 2D Drawing Service Works
Share Your Brief
Send the site address, a description of your plans, photographs and any existing drawings or council correspondence.
Confirm the Information & Scope
We review the available information and agree the drawings, measurements or surveys needed, together with the fee and programme.
Develop the Drawings
Our architectural team prepares the agreed existing and proposed drawings to communicate your design.
Review & Refine
Review the proposal and discuss changes within the agreed scope. We finalise the drawings for their intended purpose once you approve the design.
Progress Your Project
Where instructed, we coordinate planning support. We can also discuss the technical drawings or specialist information needed for the next stage.
2D Architect Drawings: Timescales & Costs
How Long Will It Take?
For most projects, we aim to send the drawings for your review and approval within 7 days.
This is a target, not a guarantee. Timescales depend on the scale and complexity of the project, the number of revisions you request and how quickly you respond to any requests for clarification.
We will work through any requested changes and only move to the next stage once you have approved the design and are satisfied that it reflects what you want.
How Much Will It Cost?
Planning By Design offers standard fixed prices for common projects, regardless of where the property is located. Your quotation confirms the drawing scope and any separately priced work.
Use our Cost Calculator for an initial estimate, then discuss your project with our team.
Price Match Guarantee: we will beat a genuine like-for-like quote for your 2D architectural drawings.
From Planning Drawings to Technical Design
Building Regulations Drawings
Planning drawings show the design proposal. Building Regulations drawings develop technical details and specifications for the relevant work. They are a separate stage and should only begin once the final design has been approved and planning permission has been granted, where required.
Structural Engineering
Beams, structural openings, foundations and other elements may need engineering calculations and details. The agreed architectural plans help the engineer understand the proposed work. Structural engineering is a separate stage and should only begin once the final design has been approved and planning permission has been granted, where required.
If the design changes during planning, later technical drawings and calculations may also need revisions. Resolving the design before detailed technical work can help avoid repeated fees.
Planning drawings are not a complete construction package.
Confirm the technical information and approvals needed for your project before building work starts.
Example 2D Architect Drawings for a Dropped Kerb
Explore an existing drawing package showing how plans, elevations and sections explain a dropped kerb and driveway proposal.
This is a project example. The drawings and level of detail required for your own site will depend on the proposal.
Why Choose Planning By Design?
Architectural Expertise
Work with a team that includes Chartered Architects and architectural designers.
Planning and Design Together
Connect your drawings with planning advice and application support where required.
Your Brief Comes First
Develop a layout and design around your objectives and the constraints of your site.
Clear Drawing Packages
Agree what drawings, revisions and additional services are included before work starts.
Residential & Commercial Experience
Our architectural service supports home improvements, new homes and commercial projects.
Price Match Guarantee
Compare genuine like-for-like quotations for your 2D architectural drawing package.
2D Architectural Drawings FAQs
What are 2D CAD drawings?
They are two-dimensional drawings prepared using computer-aided design software. Plans, elevations and sections communicate the layout, dimensions and appearance of a building or site.
Which drawings will my planning application need?
This depends on the application type, proposed works and relevant validation requirements. A package may include a location plan, block plans, floor plans and elevations, with sections or other drawings where needed.
Do 2D architectural drawings include measurements and specifications?
They include dimensions and annotations appropriate to their purpose. Planning drawings do not normally include the full construction specification or all structural details; technical work should be agreed separately.
How much do 2D architect drawings cost?
Fees depend on the drawing package and project complexity. We offer standard fixed prices for common projects. Use our Cost Calculator for an initial estimate and contact us to confirm the scope.
Do you need to visit the site?
A site visit can be arranged if needed. Depending on the project, a remote survey using suitable existing drawings, photographs and measurements is often all that is required, saving clients time and money.
Can you work from drawings I already have?
Send the drawings, explain who prepared them and tell us what you want to change. We can assess whether they are suitable for the proposed work and what further information is needed.
Can I convert my 2D drawings into 3D models?
Yes. Agreed 2D drawings can provide the basis for 3D drawings and 3D renders. These help you visualise form, spaces and materials. The additional work should be included in your agreed scope.
Is planning submission included with the drawings?
Your quotation will confirm this. Drawings can be commissioned on their own, or alongside planning advice, supporting documents and application management.
Can my builder use the planning drawings to start work?
Planning drawings explain the proposed design. Confirm whether Building Regulations drawings, structural calculations and other technical information or approvals are needed before construction.
Does a complete set of drawings guarantee planning permission?
No. Drawings help explain the proposal, but the local planning authority assesses the application against relevant policies and other considerations. We cannot guarantee its decision.
Related Architectural Design Services
Latest News & FAQs
Planning updates, guidance and answers from Planning By Design.
Let’s Talk About Your 2D Drawings
Tell us what you want to change and share any plans you already have. We will help you identify the drawings and next steps for your project.
