Barking Riverside is east London's largest active regeneration project, with significant tall building and mid-rise residential development across the Thames frontage, alongside the historic Becontree estate covering much of Dagenham, and ongoing town centre regeneration around Barking station. Almost all the older stock carries windows that have received natural light for well over the 20-year easement threshold under the Prescription Act 1832, which means Barking Riverside tall building schemes, town centre redevelopment, and conversion projects all routinely raise rights of light questions. London Borough of Barking and Dagenham planning consent does not address that legal position.
We act on Barking and Dagenham schemes from the London head office, with reach across Barking, Dagenham, Becontree, and Chadwell Heath, supported by colleagues in Essex and Hampshire. CHP is RICS regulated and has been advising on rights of light since 2004. The London team handles this work with specialist focus, and where the work overlaps with the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 we run party wall services from the same team.
Every Barking and Dagenham project starts with a free initial assessment of the proposed scheme. We identify which neighbouring windows are likely to carry the 20-year easement and the points of the proposed massing most likely to cause an issue. A full rights of light analysis follows using specialist software, with existing and proposed light levels modelled and tested against the Equivalent First Zone and the 50/50 rule for each affected room.
Where modelling shows likely infringement, the cutback analysis tests design variations including reduced height, set-back upper floors, and adjusted fenestration until the scheme works for both the planning case and the rights of light position. For Barking and Dagenham that typically means Barking Riverside tall building schemes, town centre regeneration around Barking station, and mid-rise residential blocks across the borough. Our rights of light assessments overview sets out the broader method.
Adjoining owners in Barking and Dagenham have several options when faced with a nearby development that threatens the light through their windows. We assess the impact of the proposed scheme on the affected rooms, advise on the strength of the legal position under the acquired easement, and set out the available remedies including negotiation, formal objection to the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, and ultimately court action where matters cannot be resolved between the parties.
Light Obstruction Notices can also be used to protect future development potential of the adjoining owner's own property. Given the scale of Barking Riverside development, settlement figures can be substantial, making early engagement worthwhile. A short free initial assessment is the quickest way to know where you stand.
