Hampshire has a more varied case for airspace work than most southern counties. The south coast cities of Southampton, Portsmouth, and the BCP area carry post-war and 1960s residential blocks, Victorian and Edwardian terraces, and the dense urban building stock most suited to rooftop schemes. Basingstoke adds a particular concentration of London overspill flats with structural reserves. Winchester is largely conservation-constrained at its core but produces airspace work on the outer suburbs, and the Isle of Wight runs heavily to bungalow conversions and small coastal rooftop schemes. The wider county also produces upward extensions on detached and semi-detached homes across the rural towns and villages.
Our Hampshire team works across the county and the practice has over 30 years of combined surveying experience, RICS regulated throughout. Most airspace schemes need airspace development advice on feasibility and the planning route through the relevant district or borough council before an application is prepared.
As well as providing daylight, sunlight and rights of light advice, our role would be to make contact with the occupants of the existing building to establish any concerns regarding the development. We will work closely with the professional team to identify the initial questions and look at how these can be addressed.
It is our experience that maintaining the same point of contact for the duration of the project offers the existing occupants’ reassurance and continuity.
Our airspace work across Hampshire splits by project type rather than by location. For a homeowner-led upward extension or bungalow conversion, the focus is the Party Wall etc. Act 1996, rights of light risk on adjoining homes, and protection of the existing structure during construction. Party wall notices are served on every adjoining owner where a shared wall is involved.
Where a developer is adding flats above an existing residential block, the role widens to full occupant liaison. We make initial contact with each leaseholder, hold attended meetings to discuss concerns, prepare Schedules of Condition for the flats directly below the new units, and act as the named point of contact through construction. Day-to-day issues, scaffolding, deliveries, parking, access, get resolved as they arise, with daylight and sunlight reports typically forming part of the planning submission.
Airspace work across Hampshire typically sits alongside daylight and sunlight, rights of light, and party wall workstreams on the same scheme. The same surveyor stays on the project from instruction to completion.
Over the past four years, CHP have worked very successfully with us in their capacity as party wall surveyors. Through his calm, sensible approach and excellent communication skills James Crowley, in particular, gained the trust and confidence of the entire team and stakeholders. Looking forward to working with CHP again.”
- Clare Goggin, Jackson Coles
Planning sits with the relevant district, borough, or unitary council rather than the county. Southampton, Portsmouth, Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole, Winchester, Basingstoke and Deane, the Isle of Wight, and the wider Hampshire authorities each operate their own local plan and apply slightly different design and amenity standards to airspace schemes. The general principles are consistent: design, height, daylight and sunlight impact on neighbours, parking, and area character.
Some upward extensions across Hampshire fall within permitted development rights with prior approval, while larger rooftop schemes on blocks of flats almost always need a full planning application. Conservation areas across Winchester, the historic parts of Portsmouth and Southampton, the BCP seafront, and the Isle of Wight rule out some sites entirely. Rights of light claims sit outside the planning process but often run in parallel where height affects surrounding properties.
Get in touch.
Head Office
2-6 Boundary Row
London, SE1 8HP
Essex Office
2-6 Boundary Row
London, SE1 8HP
020 3714 4090
Get in touch.
Head Office
2-6 Boundary Row
London, SE1 8HP
Essex Office
2nd Floor, 10 High Street
Wickford, Essex
SS12 9AZ
020 3714 4090
enquiries@chpsurveyors.com
