Croydon hosts the largest tall building cluster outside central London, with the East Croydon and Croydon town centre skyline transforming through major mid-rise and tall building development, alongside Edwardian and Victorian housing across Norwood, Purley, Coulsdon, and Addington. Almost all the older stock carries windows that have received natural light for well over the 20 years required to acquire the easement under the Prescription Act 1832, which means tall building schemes, mid-rise residential blocks, and significant infill all routinely raise rights of light questions. London Borough of Croydon planning consent does not address that legal position.
We act on Croydon schemes from the London head office, with reach across East Croydon, Norwood, Purley, and Coulsdon, 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 point of contact.
The starting point on every Croydon project is a free initial assessment to identify which neighbouring windows could be affected by the proposed scheme and which carry the 20-year easement. From there, we use specialist rights of light software to model existing and proposed light levels for each affected room, with the results tested against the Equivalent First Zone and the 50/50 rule to quantify any loss in legal terms.
Where the figures show a likely infringement, the cutback analysis tests design variations including reduced height, set-back upper floors, and adjusted fenestration until the scheme sits within acceptable limits. For Croydon that typically means East Croydon and town centre tall building schemes, mid-rise residential blocks, and significant infill across the borough. Our rights of light assessments overview sets out the broader method, with each scope tailored to the specific Croydon project.
A good outcome means the Croydon scheme is viable, the impact on neighbouring windows has been quantified and addressed, and any infringement has been resolved on agreed terms before construction starts. On the major East Croydon tall building schemes, those settlement figures can be substantial, which makes early quantification particularly worthwhile. Court action is rare when the rights of light position is identified and worked through early on the project.
Adjoining owners on Croydon streets affected by a nearby development can equally instruct us to assess the impact, advise on the strength of their legal position under the acquired easement, and consider Light Obstruction Notices where formal protection of acquired light is the right step. A free initial assessment is the quickest way to know where you stand.
