Introduction

KJ Tait Engineers were commissioned to carry out this study into the available daylight surrounding the proposed development in order to quantify the available level of daylight and sunlight within the external areas of the scheme, and to assess the impact on existing surrounding residential properties, including the care home located adjacent to the scheme.

The assessment included:

• Vertical Sky Component Calculation to the existing residential properties and adjacent care home
• Planning advice to optimise window and room locations to attain regulatory compliance
• Sunpath diagrams to ensure new communal areas and existing residential gardens achieved the required sunlight

Key Outcome:

The proposed scheme satisfied the technical guidance outlined in the BRE document “Site layout and planning for daylight and sunlight: a guide to good practice” in terms of the impact upon neighbouring residential properties. This is the industry standard guidance used for daylighting within the UK.

Of the neighbouring buildings evaluated as part of this study, all residential elevations fully met the recommendations of BRE guidance and Edinburgh Technical Guidance with regards to the vertical sky component analysis.

6 out of 8 of the proposed gardens/communal spaces achieved the BRE guidance for sunlight to the spaces.

The existing gardens fully met the Council and BRE guidance for sunlight to the spaces