Planning Approvals

Planning authorities are required to consider the impact a new development will have on the daylight and
sunlight to neighbouring buildings. Tests have been devised by the Building Research Establishment to
determine whether or not a new development will adversely affect the light to nearby properties. The tests
are set out in Building Research Establishment (BRE) Digest 209 entitled ‘Site Layout Planning for
Daylight and Sunlight’.

The standards used to measure daylight and sunlight in the planning context are different to those used
in legal rights to light cases. Rights to light are independent of the planning system. Even if a
development has received planning permission, care should be taken not to infringe a neighbour’s legal
right to light.

We offer our extensive experience of the planning system to both developers seeking planning permission
and to neighbours who wish to object to a proposed development.

Assist developers to obtain planning permission
BRE Daylight and Sunlight Tests
Reports to support objections and appeals