Ultimate Guide to the Daylight, Sunlight and Rights of Light Process for UK Property Development
Navigating the numerous elements of the UK property development process can be complex, with building regulations, legal matters, market expectations and environmental considerations to name just a few. For developers, architects and their consultancy teams, creating successful, viable, appealing spaces means taking into account natural light. This guide walks you through the typical stages of Daylight, Sunlight and Rights of Light consultancy in the UK property development process.
Daylight, Sunlight and Rights of Light in the property development process comprises several stages, from initial design concepts to securing approval and completion of the development. Each stage involves careful analysis and decisions that shape the final outcome. Here’s a breakdown of the main steps involved:
Initial Appraisal and Feasibility Studies
At an early stage, along with appraising the architectural, structural, wider planning and other considerations of a site, developers should seek an initial appraisal of Daylight, Sunlight and Rights of light considerations that may affect it. This can be critical to the success and viability of a development owing to the significant implications that Daylight, Sunlight and Rights of Light matters can have. It is important to understand the extent of any such risks at a very early stage in the development process. Feasibility studies tend to involve more detailed analysis but provide the same early steer regarding the development potential of a site.
Design Stage
Utilising a 3D context model created using brick counting and photogrammetry or, ideally, measured survey data, the Daylight, Sunlight and Rights of Light specialist surveyor can provide an outline massing envelope that can be utilised as a starting point for architects and the wider client team to design a scheme for a development site. Further on in the design process, when there is a scheme available for assessment, Daylight, Sunlight and Rights of Light assessments are undertaken and design advice is also offered with the aim of maximising development potential whilst minimising risks. Advice is also given on the design of the proposed scheme itself, such as orientation, window size and specification, and layout optimisation to maximise the access of natural light to proposed dwellings.
Reporting Stage
Once a scheme design is frozen, the Daylight, Sunlight and Rights of Light specialist surveyor will provide the necessary reports to support a planning application - these may include a chapter of an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and separate Daylight and Sunlight reports, as well as a Rights of Light report making recommendations regarding a mitigation strategy for the site in question.
Rights of Light Strategy Implementation Stage
The appointed Daylight, Sunlight and Rights of Light specialist surveyor will advise the developer and client team through the process of putting in place a suitable Rights of Light mitigation strategy for the development. Crucial to its success, this process should be started early enough to allow Rights of Light risks to be suitably managed in order to facilitate construction.
So how can Daylight, Sunlight and Rights of Light consultancy add value to property development? By optimising development design early on in a development project, time and financial costs can be minimised, development potential realised, risks reduced and overall development outcomes improved. Daylight, Sunlight and Rights of Light surveyors can critical to the development process from the earliest point, all the way through to development completion and beyond.