The City of London is predominantly commercial, which limits but does not eliminate airspace work in the Square Mile. The Barbican Estate carries the most concentrated residential stock in the City, with significant mid-rise residential blocks and mansion-style flats that occasionally come forward for rooftop schemes where the structure permits. Mixed-use buildings around Bishopsgate, Aldgate, and Smithfield add residential floor area on upper levels in some cases, and these can also support airspace work where the planning context allows. We cover the City of London from our London office.
We specialise in chartered surveying on dense urban sites where rooftop and upward extension schemes are most common, and the practice is RICS regulated with over 30 years of combined experience. Daylight and sunlight reports typically accompany every airspace application in the City given the density of surrounding development.
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.
Airspace work in the City of London is almost entirely rooftop addition work on residential and mixed-use buildings. The existing occupants liaison role is central. We make initial contact with each leaseholder below the proposed units, attend 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 on narrow streets, deliveries through commercial neighbours, parking restrictions, access through busy office areas, get handled as they arise. The City's pedestrian density, transport networks, and listed building density mean construction logistics need particularly careful planning. Airspace development advice covers feasibility and the planning route before submission.
Airspace work in the City of London 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 handover.
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
Airspace projects in the City of London carry more complexity than almost anywhere else. The Square Mile is dense, busy, and operationally sensitive, with neighbouring commercial properties, transport hubs, and listed buildings within metres of most sites. The relationship with the existing residents below, while smaller in number than a typical residential block, also requires careful handling given the high-value nature of the affected properties.
A dedicated airspace surveyor takes the occupant relationship and construction liaison off the developer's plate, reduces dispute risk, and gives the project a single point of contact through the build. Planning sits with the City of London Corporation, and party wall services are usually involved given the density of shared structures with commercial neighbours.
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
