Daylight and Sunlight Assessment Manchester

Daylight and sunlight assessments for planning applications to Manchester City Council. BRE 209 reports for city centre schemes, Ancoats redevelopment and suburban extensions in Didsbury and Chorlton, modelled in 3D and quoted within 24 hours.

Daylight and sunlight reports for planning in Manchester

Manchester City Council asks for daylight and sunlight assessments on the larger schemes that change the skyline. In the city centre, Ancoats and the Northern Quarter, tall residential buildings rise next to existing flats and converted mills. The reports cover large numbers of neighbouring windows as well as the new apartments. In Didsbury, Chorlton, Fallowfield and Withington the typical case is an extension, a house conversion or a new block of flats on a modest plot. Applications at Salford Quays go to Salford City Council.

The report is built on a 3D model of the proposal and its surroundings. We run the BRE 209 tests for neighbouring windows, gardens and the proposed rooms and set the results out in tables and drawings for the planning officer. Anything that does not meet the BRE recommendations is explained in context. We cover Manchester from London and make the site visit ourselves.

What you get

  • A 3D model suited to tall city centre schemes as well as suburban extensions
  • Daylight and sunlight results for every neighbouring window the scheme affects
  • Internal daylight for the proposed apartments or rooms where the council asks for it
  • A report with tables and drawings that can be submitted with the application

We can provide you with a daylight and sunlight report to support your application to Manchester City Council.

Blue Sky Surveyors offer a range of daylight and sunlight services for planning in Manchester. Below, you will find details on the services we offer.

Impact on neighbouring properties

If a planning authority have requested that you provide a daylight & sunlight assessment detailing the likely impact on neighbours, then we can help. We will build a 3-D CAD model of your proposal and run all of the required assessments as outlined in the BRE Guidelines: site layout planning for daylight and sunlight: a guide to good practice (BR209).

We will then outline the results of the study in a formal report which can be submitted in support of your planning application.

If you wish, or need, to minimise the impacts to the neighbouring properties (to improve the chances of the planning authority accepting the application), we can work with your architect to amend the design in order to adhere to the BRE guidelines.

Need a quote? Send us an email at info@rightsoflightsurveyors.co.uk with your proposed drawings and planning authority requirements. We will get back to you with a formal quote within 24 hours.

Daylight & Sunlight within the development

Sometimes local planning authorities will require you to show that the proposed units in your development will meet the minimum daylight & sunlight requirements as outlined in the BRE guidelines. We can model your proposal and run an internal daylight & sunlight assessment which will show what light levels will be enjoyed within the proposed units. We will then outline the results of this assessment in a formal report which can be submitted in support of your planning application.

DAYLIGHT & SUNLIGHT WITHIN THE DEVELOPMENT

Sometimes local planning authorities will require you to show that the proposed units in your development will meet the minimum daylight & sunlight requirements as outlined in the BRE guidelines. We can model your proposal and run an internal daylight & sunlight assessment which will show what light levels will be enjoyed within the proposed units. We will then outline the results of this assessment in a formal report which can be submitted in support of your planning application.

Maximum Envelope Study

A maximum envelope study will help your architect early on in the design process by providing a maximum massing parameter in which the BRE recommended guidelines for daylight & sunlight will be met. We can provide you with a 3-D maximum massing model which can be easily utilised by your architect.

Have more questions? We are happy to help. Call us today on 020 7867 3955 or send us an
email at info@rightsoflightsurveyors.co.uk

If you would like us to provide you with a quote for a daylight and sunlight report, please feel free to send the details of your project through to info@rightsoflightsurveyors.co.uk and we will provide you with a quote within 24 hours (Monday to Friday).

We strive to provide our clients with the highest standard of service

Blue Sky Surveyors are a leading surveying practice that offer expert advice on all matters related  to rights to light (common law) or daylight & sunlight for planning. We believe that providing all of our clients with a highly tailored, personal service helps us to deliver the best results possible.

We will work with you to achieve your goals whatever they may be. Through dedication and experience, we strive to provide our clients with the highest standard of service and delivery results in a timely fashion.

If you have any queries, do not hesitate to get in touch.

Frequently Asked Questions

5

What is a daylight and sunlight assessment?

An assessment of the effect a proposed building will have on the daylight and sunlight received by neighbouring properties, or of the daylight and sunlight that new homes will receive, carried out against the BRE guide Site Layout Planning for Daylight and Sunlight (BR 209, 2022 edition). It is a planning matter and is separate from a neighbour’s right to light.

5

Which tests are carried out?

For neighbouring properties we test daylight using the vertical sky component (VSC) and the no sky line (daylight distribution), and sunlight using annual and winter probable sunlight hours (APSH) for windows facing within 90 degrees of due south. Where gardens and amenity spaces are affected we test overshadowing on 21 March. For new homes we assess the daylight and sunlight within the proposed rooms against the targets in BR 209.

5

Does Manchester City Council require a daylight and sunlight assessment?

Not for every application. Manchester City Council will normally ask for one where a proposal sits close to neighbouring windows, is taller than the buildings around it or creates new homes, and the request often arrives from the case officer during validation or after neighbours have objected. If you have been asked for a report, send us the drawings and the council’s comments and we will quote within 24 hours.

5

What do you need from me?

The site address, the proposed drawings (plans, elevations and sections) and a copy of the council’s request if you have one. We build the 3D model from the drawings and any survey information needed, run the tests and write the report. Send the drawings over and we will quote within 24 hours, Monday to Friday.

5

What happens if a result does not meet the BRE recommendations?

The BRE figures are guidance rather than fixed limits and the planning authority will weigh them against the wider merits of the scheme. Where a result does not meet the recommendations we explain why, set it in context and, where it helps, work with your architect on changes that bring the scheme back within the guidance before the application goes in.

5

Will the report deal with my neighbour’s right to light in Manchester?

No. A right to light is a separate legal matter and a scheme can satisfy the planning tests and still infringe a neighbour’s right to light. We assess that separately; see our rights of light surveyors Manchester page.

“ADDRESS ANY RIGHTS TO LIGHT ISSUES FOR PEACE OF MIND”

We deliver a superior standard of work

Get in Touch

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    Our Location

    Blue Sky Surveyors
    Office 7, 35-37 Ludgate Hill
    London
    EC4M 7JN

    Contact Information

    Phone: +020 7867 3955
    Email: info@rightsoflightsurveyors.co.uk

    Rights of light surveyors in Manchester

    Concerned about a neighbour’s right to light rather than planning? See our rights of light surveyors Manchester page.

    Daylight and sunlight assessments nearby

    Greater Manchester | Stockport | Altrincham | Liverpool

    Daylight and Sunlight Assessment Manchester