Daylight and Sunlight Assessment Brighton

Anstey Horne provides trusted Daylight and Sunlight Assessments in Brighton, helping developers, architects, and planning consultants achieve planning approval while maintaining compliance with BRE Guidelines and Brighton & Hove City Council policy.

Whether you’re working on a cliff-top extension in Rottingdean, a tight infill site in Hanover, or a mixed-use development along the seafront, we deliver expert advice on how your proposal will affect light to neighbouring buildings and spaces.

What Is a Daylight and Sunlight Assessment?

A Daylight and Sunlight Assessment evaluates the impact of a proposed development on natural light received by neighbouring properties, rooms, and outdoor spaces. It is typically required for planning applications that may affect nearby homes, gardens, or sensitive uses.

Our assessments follow the latest BRE guidance (Site Layout Planning for Daylight and Sunlight – A Guide to Good Practice, 2022) and align with BS EN 17037 and local planning policies across Brighton & Hove.

Why Are These Assessments Important in Brighton?

Brighton’s unique coastal topography, terraced streets, and conservation zones present a wide range of daylighting challenges. Developments are often tightly constrained, requiring robust and sensitive daylight and sunlight analysis.

Our Daylight and Sunlight Assessment Brighton service will:

Demonstrate compliance with national and local planning standards
Provide clear evidence to support your application
Mitigate planning objections relating to loss of light or overshadowing
Support successful negotiations with planning officers and consultees
Prevent delays or refusals at planning committee

What’s Included in Our Assessments?

Each report is tailored to the site and planning context, typically including:

Vertical Sky Component (VSC) – Assesses daylight reaching neighbouring windows

No Sky Line (NSL) – Reviews internal daylight distribution in adjacent rooms

Annual Probable Sunlight Hours (APSH) – Measures access to direct sunlight year-round

Overshadowing Analysis – Evaluates sunlight availability to private gardens, balconies, or terraces

Solar PV Impact Review – Analyses potential overshadowing of solar panels, where applicable

We model all data using industry-standard 3D software and provide clear, illustrated reports suitable for submission to the local planning authority.

Do I Need a Daylight and Sunlight Assessment?

Brighton & Hove City Council will likely require an assessment if:

Your proposed development is near residential properties
There is potential to reduce daylight or sunlight to windows or gardens
You are developing in a conservation area or sensitive streetscape
You are submitting a major or complex planning application

We also support appeal cases and can assist with pre-application advice and design development.

Why Choose Anstey Horne?

Anstey Horne is the UK’s leading expert in daylight and sunlight planning. With experience across the South Coast and beyond, we deliver reliable, policy-compliant advice that supports planning success.

Clients choose us for:

Fast and responsive service
Clear reporting aligned with BRE and BS EN 17037
In-depth local planning knowledge
Strategic support for appeals, redesigns, and negotiations
Expert witness services where required

Recent Work in Brighton & the South Coast

We’ve delivered assessments for:

Mixed-use and residential schemes across Brighton city centre
Developments in conservation areas
Rooftop extensions and infill schemes in Hove and Hanover
Coastal and hillside plots with complex light implications
Student accommodation and public sector buildings

Contact - Daylight and Sunlight Assessment Brighton

For Daylight and Sunlight advice direct from one of our Brighton surveyors, please call our Enquiry line in 01273 942575. For more information on this service see the collection of articles on our blog page.

We cover all urban areas in the South of England. We have live Daylight & Sunlight projects in Southampton, Portsmouth and Guildford.

For details of our specialist Daylight & Sunlight surveyors near you see our London, Birmingham, Bristol, Manchester, Norwich & Plymouth office details.