Assessing the impact of new developments on the daylight and sunlight amenity of neighbouring residential properties is becoming increasingly important in today’s urban environment. As cities densify to meet growing housing demands, larger developments can significantly affect surrounding properties.

Many planning authorities now require a Daylight and Sunlight report as part of the validation process. Identifying potential risks early is crucial to avoiding costly delays and ensuring compliance. Integrating Daylight and Sunlight considerations into the design phase helps streamline the planning process and optimize development potential.

Daylight and Sunlight assessments follow the Building Research Establishment (BRE) Guidelines: ‘Site Layout Planning for Daylight and Sunlight – A Guide to Good Practice’ (BRE 209, 2022). The 2022 update aligned the assessment of daylight and sunlight within proposed developments with the British Standard for Daylighting (BS EN 17037).

This revised methodology is more rigorous than previous assessments, often leading to reduced compliance rates for new developments. Understanding these changes is essential when planning projects to minimize risks and ensure a smoother approval process.

If you’d like to learn more about the updated BRE Guidelines and their impact on your development, we offer dedicated CPD sessions covering key changes and best practices.

We’re happy to provide initial advice on your site and outline the next steps—get in touch to discuss how we can support your project.

How We Can Help

At MDX Surveyors, we offer expert guidance on navigating Daylight and Sunlight regulations. Our services include:

We offer the following services in relation to Daylight and Sunlight.

• Pre-Acquisition/Vendor Advice

• Feasibility Assessments and Initial Appraisals

• Development Envelope Assessments and Site Optimisation Strategy

• Site Modelling and Technical BRE Daylight and Sunlight Analysis

• Daylight and Sunlight – Impact on Neighbours Design Consultation and Reporting

• Daylight Design – Proposed Development Design Consultation and Reporting

• Overshadowing – Sun Hours on Ground and Transient Overshadowing

• Solar Glare / Solar Dazzle – Road and Railway

• Solar Convergence

• Light Pollution

• Climate Based Daylight Modelling and Radiance Style Assessments

• Full Reporting to Support Planning Applications

• Environmental Impact Assessment Consultation and Reporting

• Expert Witness Reporting and Planning Enquiry Attendance

• Planning Authority professional review