In December 2024, the Government released an update to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). The NPPF sets out the Government’s planning policies for England and how it is expected they will be put in place, so guiding land use and development across England. The update under the new Labour Government introduces amendments and clarifications that impact various aspects of planning practice.

We know that investing in the development potential of your properties long before you want to redevelop them can feel counterintuitive. However, we have seen huge benefits where clients have been proactive about protecting their assets now with a view to maximising value later. Get in touch with us at Century Associates to discuss how we can review your existing property portfolio to add value for the long term.

It’s 2025 and we are so excited! The new year brings new opportunities, some of which are already in the pipeline and some, we assume, aren’t yet on our radar. Read on for what we are focusing on this year.

Discover the stages of Daylight, Sunlight and Rights of Light consultancy in the UK development process.

In the planning of new developments, careful consideration of Daylight, Sunlight, and Rights of Light is essential for project success. Understanding the Daylight, Sunlight and Rights of Light opportunities and constraints of a development site can significantly impact project viability, development value and relations with key stakeholders such as the Local Authority and neighbouring property owners.

On 19th March 2024, the third edition Rights of Light Professional Standard for England and Wales was published by the RICS and the standard was effective from 1st June 2024. In this article, we summarise what its publication means for Rights of Light professionals and what the document contains.

10th October is World Mental Health Day and the theme for this year is workplace mental health. Here's a note from us on how we feel about mental health in the workplace.

If you are a client of ours, you will probably find that we are keen to arrange a site visit early on in our engagement. There are a number of reasons we carry out site visits, which we discuss here.

DSUK is a charity that is passionate about empowering those with Down Syndrome and supporting them, their families and professionals in the UK. It believes, as do we, that every child with Down Syndrome should be celebrated and given every opportunity to flourish and thrive, without barriers.

As Rights of Light surveyors, arguably the most important aspect of our role is the essential due diligence we undertake in the earliest stages of a project. The sooner we undertake the due diligence, the greater the opportunity for Rights of Light-related time and cost savings. Why? Critical strategic considerations and tools such as Light Obstruction Notices (LONs).

We have no doubt that staying true to our core values in all that we do is critical for providing the outstanding service that our clients deserve. In fact, our values are why Century Associates was founded in the first place. Read about our core values and why they are important to us here.

It has always been the case that timing is everything when it comes to Daylight, Sunlight and Rights of Light considerations for a proposed development. This article serves as a reminder to our developer clients that if you are looking at a prospective site or have a site that you are considering developing, it is imperative that you consider the Daylight, Sunlight and Rights of Light impacts to your neighbours at the very earliest stage.

With Rights of Light being such a complex and evolving subject, this article cannot possibly cover everything there is to know about it. Rather, we cover some salient points and some of the practicalities here.

At Century Associates, we’re proud to offer an in-house consultancy service that capitalises on our small company size and ability to flexibly offer our time and professional services in this way. We know the huge benefits that having an experienced professional working in-house can have on the time, resource and cost expenditure incurred by our clients in relation to Daylight, Sunlight and Rights of Light matters associated with their development projects.

Daylight, Sunlight and Rights of Light surveyors are involved in the construction of buildings. It’s about shaping the urban environment and helping to provide and maintain amenity to new and existing properties. We do this through giving design advice and providing reports to developers, either for the purpose of a planning application or in respect of any impact on the legal rights enjoyed by adjoining owners. We also act for adjoining owners, empowering them with knowledge, assessment and advice.

Century Associates offers comprehensive advice and support throughout our appointment as Rights of Light specialist advisor to our adjoining owner clients. Our friendly and honest approach allows us to build strong foundations with our clients, fostering trust and a proactive partnership to reach a satisfactory conclusion in the most efficient and effective way.

Having entered the Daylight, Sunlight and Rights of Light industry in 2012 somewhat like a rabbit in the headlights, I gained years of experience both in the surveying world and in a development role for one of the UK’s largest and most successful developers. I will always be grateful for the opportunities I had to expand my knowledge but also the professional and commercial experience I gained along the way.