Greenwich's character spans the World Heritage Site core through Georgian and Victorian housing in Blackheath, Charlton, and Eltham, with active tall building development on the Greenwich Peninsula and Woolwich Arsenal regeneration. Almost all the older residential 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 on the Peninsula, Woolwich mid-rise redevelopment, and conservation area infill all routinely raise rights of light questions. Royal Borough of Greenwich planning consent does not address that legal position.
We act on Greenwich schemes from the London head office, with reach across Woolwich, Eltham, Charlton, and the Peninsula, 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 rooftop or upper-floor work is in play we can bring in airspace development advice.
Every Greenwich 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 Greenwich that typically means Peninsula tall building schemes, Woolwich regeneration blocks, riverside redevelopment, and conservation area infill in Blackheath and the World Heritage Site. Our rights of light assessments overview sets out the broader method for design teams.
Adjoining owners in Greenwich 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 Royal Borough of Greenwich, 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. For developers, the same early assessment work avoids surprises during construction. Most Greenwich schemes also call for daylight and sunlight reports as part of the same planning submission.
