Hounslow carries a varied planning caseload, with the substantial Brentford waterside regeneration bringing new mid-rise residential along the Thames and Grand Union Canal frontages, the wider Hounslow town centre work around the High Street, the Heathrow-adjacent commercial activity, and the dense Victorian and Edwardian conservation-area stock running through Chiswick, Bedford Park, and Strand on the Green. The London Borough of Hounslow reviews a steady caseload of mid-rise residential, replacement housing, conservation-area infill, and rear and side extensions across the wider borough.
Our team prepares these reports under RICS regulation from our London office at Boundary Row, SE1, with BRE 209 (2022) as the working reference. Where works cross a shared boundary, party wall services sit alongside the daylight piece, and the practice has been delivering daylight and sunlight reports since 2004.
Using the knowledge we have gained throughout our involvement in projects of differing size and complexities, we are able to apply the criteria within the BRE guidelines and produce comprehensive reports to accompany a planning application.
When assessing daylight and sunlight, we work with a professional team to try and achieve the best outcome for a site, whilst respecting the neighbouring properties’ access to daylight and sunlight. We will also provide advice on how the design of potential residential accommodation can ensure access to good levels of daylight and sunlight.
Each Hounslow report starts with the proposed scheme drawings and an initial site appraisal that grounds the analysis in the existing context. A 3D model then captures the development and the affected neighbouring properties, before running against BRE 209 (2022) methodology covering daylight, sunlight, and overshadowing as the scheme requires.
Vertical Sky Component covers light to windows. Annual Probable Sunlight Hours covers sunlight to habitable rooms with relevant orientation. Overshadowing analysis tests amenity space under the 21 March sun position recommended in the guidance. No Sky Line and sunpath studies sit alongside where geometry or seasonal access matter, with the Brentford waterside schemes requiring particular attention to riverside orientation and the Chiswick conservation areas to existing density.
The report sets out methodology, figures, and design rationale where the numbers run below BRE 209 reference values. Typical turnaround is 2 to 3 weeks from instruction. A free initial assessment confirms scope before any fee is set. This is a bespoke surveying service shaped to each scheme.
I have worked with CHP for a number of years, obtaining advice from them with regard to daylight and sunlight. They provide exactly what our clients require and work closely with us to resolve any issues, should they arise.
- Andrew Ryley , DLBP
Instructing early saves cost later. Where a Hounslow scheme is borderline against BRE 209 reference values, a few adjustments to massing, fenestration, or boundary treatment can move it back into range without losing accommodation. Submitting without an assessment and then being asked for one at validation by the London Borough of Hounslow lengthens the planning timeline and can force a redesign at the worst possible moment for the project programme, particularly on the Brentford waterside schemes and the Chiswick conservation-area work.
The 2 to 3 week turnaround means the report fits within most planning programmes without slowing submission. Reports follow BRE 209 (2022), and the free initial assessment runs through scope before any fee is set, so an early read on whether a full study is needed costs nothing to obtain at this stage.
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
