Planning applications
Planning Portal file limit: get each PDF under 10MB
Quick answer: the Planning Portal says each supporting document file can be up to 10MB. For a photo-heavy document such as a heritage statement, add it here with the 10MB target and tap Compress to target. For scaled drawings, split the PDF into parts under 10MB instead of compressing, because compression redraws pages as images and fine lines can soften. The Portal also asks you not to upload ZIP files. Nothing is uploaded to PDFWhisk.
Steps last checked 3 November 2026 by the PDFWhisk team
At a glance
- Use this page to compress files quickly with a guided workflow.
- Accepted input: .pdf.
- Output: downloadable files generated in-browser for supported workflows.
- Upload Choose your file
- Process Runs locally
- Download Save result
Drop your files here
or tap to browse · accepts .pdf
Runs in your browser. No file uploads for supported tools.
Best on desktop for 100MB+ files · mobile recommended under ~100MB.
How local processing works
- Your PDF is processed in your browser using local JavaScript libraries.
- PDFWhisk does not upload your file to a processing server for supported tools.
- Only normal page assets load from the site (HTML/CSS/JS), not your document contents.
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Security & privacy detailsHow this tool helps
Reduce the file size of your PDF documents right in your browser. Pick a target size (2MB, 5MB, 10MB, 25MB or a custom size from 0.1MB) and PDFWhisk tries up to seven quality passes, from very high to very heavy compression, stopping at the first one under your target. Compression turns each page into an image to shrink the file: text stays readable but won't be selectable or searchable, and links and form fields are not kept. Scanned documents and photo-heavy PDFs shrink the most; a typed, text-only PDF may not shrink at all, and if the result would be bigger the tool keeps your original. Your PDF never leaves your device - all compression happens locally using your browser's processing power. Use it when you need to split large PDFs for portal limits, compress PDFs on iPhone, reduce email attachment size.
Best for
How it works
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1
Check which kind of document it is
Photos, reports and statements can be compressed. Scaled plans and elevations are better split into parts so the lines stay crisp.
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2
Add the PDF
Tap the upload box and choose the file. It opens in your browser; nothing is uploaded.
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3
Keep the 10MB target
The target is already 10MB. Type 9 in Custom if you want a margin.
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4
Tap Compress to target
The tool tries its highest-quality pass first and stops at the first one under 10MB.
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5
Check, then upload
Zoom in on captions and dimensions in the preview. Upload the copy ending -10mb.pdf to the Supporting Documents screen.
More files today? Free covers 2 tasks a day and files up to 50MB. For unlimited tasks and bigger files, Pro passes start at £1.29 for 24 hours. See Pro options → One-off payment, no subscription, and your files still stay on your device.
Planning Portal uploads: getting each file under 10MB
A planning application can include drawings, a design and access statement, photos and specialist reports. Each file has to be 10MB or less, and the right fix depends on what is in the file.
Photos and reports: compress them
Site photos, heritage statements and tree surveys are often large because of embedded photos. Compressing to 10MB keeps them readable: the tool starts at its sharpest pass and only goes as far as it needs to. The text in the compressed copy can't be selected, which doesn't matter for an upload.
Drawings: split, don't squash
Plans and elevations are drawn to scale with thin lines. Turning them into images at screen resolution can make dimensions hard to read. Split a long set into several PDFs instead (for example sheets 1-4 and 5-8) with Split PDF; each part keeps the original vector lines.
Name the parts clearly
If you split a document, name the parts so the planning officer can tell them apart, for example "Design and access statement part 1 of 2". Check each part's size before uploading.
If a file still won't fit
The Planning Portal's own guidance is to send oversized files to your local authority on removable media, marked with your Planning Portal reference, and to say on the Supporting Documents screen that they were sent separately.
Before you upload/share
- Every file is 10MB or less.
- Dimensions and captions are readable when you zoom in.
- Parts of split documents are named so they can be told apart.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Planning Portal's file size limit?
The Planning Portal's help page says the size limit for each supporting document file is 10MB. It doesn't state a total for all files together.
What if a document is still over 10MB?
The Portal points you to its guidance on reducing file sizes, and for files that are still too big it says you can send them to your local authority on removable media such as a CD, marked with your application reference, and say on the Supporting Documents screen that they were sent separately.
Can I upload a ZIP of my drawings?
No. The Portal asks you not to use ZIP utilities or submit .EXE files, because anti-virus software may reject them.
Should I compress scaled drawings?
Usually not. This compressor redraws each page as a JPEG at up to about 144 DPI, which is fine for photos and text but can blur thin lines and small dimension text on a large sheet. Split a long drawing set into several PDFs under 10MB instead; splitting copies the pages without changing them.
Is my application uploaded to PDFWhisk?
No. Compression and splitting happen in your browser. You upload the finished files to the Planning Portal yourself.
Sources
Limits and steps on this page were checked against these official pages on 3 November 2026.
What to do next
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