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Rights of Light

Rights of Light, Daylight & Sunlight Consultancy Services

PBC’s highly experienced team provides specialist rights of light, daylight and sunlight consultancy across the UK.

We advise developers, funders, architects, and adjoining owners on complex projects of all sizes, delivering clear, pragmatic, cost-effective advice that helps you unlock development potential while managing risk appropriately.

Whether you are planning a new development, assessing the viability of a site acquisition, or need to understand how a neighbouring scheme might affect your property, our team provides the expert guidance and BRE-compliant reports you need to make informed decisions with confidence.

Rights of Light

In England and Wales, a right to light is a legal easement that entitles an adjoining property owner to receive sufficient natural light through defined apertures, such as windows over a neighbouring owner’s land. Rights to light are civil, privately enforceable rights that fall under the law of nuisance and are entirely separate from planning law.

Failure to properly assess and manage rights to light exposure can have serious consequences for a development, including injunctions, financial settlements, and significant delays. PBC provides expert advice to both developers seeking to manage their exposure and adjoining owners looking to protect their entitlements.

Daylight & Sunlight Planning Assessments

Daylight and sunlight planning assessments are carried out in accordance with the BRE Report “Site Layout Planning for Daylight and Sunlight: A Guide to Good Practice (BR209)”, which sets out best practice guidance for achieving adequate natural light in both new developments and neighbouring properties.

PBC provides detailed assessments and planning reports that determine the impact of a proposed development on existing buildings, as well as the adequacy of natural light within new schemes. All assessments are conducted in line with BRE best practice guidelines, ensuring your reports are robust, credible, and suitable for submission to local planning authorities.

Rights of Light Services

High-level site appraisals
Pre-Acquisition advice
Site optimisation; maximum building envelopes
Detailed technical analysis
Risk assessment and mitigation advice
Scheme cutbacks or enhancements
Bespoke strategic reporting, including potential financial liabilities
Right to Light negotiations and settlements
Light Obstruction Notices (LONs) (explanatory Notes)
Daylight and Sunlight Planning advice for both developers and occupiers
Pre-planning daylight and sunlight studies
Detailed BRE daylight and sunlight studies
EIA analysis and ES chapters
Expert witness and planning representation
Peer reviews
Overshadowing studies, including transient overshadowing studies
Tree impact assessments
BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Methodology) assessments
Director | David Goedecke
Phone | 07766 776 744
View David’s Bio

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