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FortressAssociates

Daylight Report Specialists serving the UK

Daylight & Sunlight Reports in the UK — built to improve your planning approval rate.

UK-based daylight, sunlight and overshadowing assessments for planning applications — prepared in line with the BRE Guidelines 2022 (BR 209) and BS EN 17037. No advance payment. 4–5 working day delivery for projects across the UK.

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UK mid-rise building — typical subject of a BRE 2022 daylight assessment
BRE 2022 CompliantValidated daylight & sunlight modelling
VSC · NSL · APSH
4–5 day delivery
4–5
Working Days
Standard delivery
BR 209
BRE 2022
Compliant methodology
£0
Advance Payment
Pay on delivery
UK
Nationwide
Service across the UK
BRE Guidelines 2022 (BR 209)

The standard your UK planning application is judged against.

Every Fortress daylight report is built strictly on the third edition of the BRE's Site Layout Planning for Daylight and Sunlight: A Guide to Good Practice (BR 209, 2022) and BS EN 17037. Below is exactly what that means for your scheme.

What BRE 2022 covers

The 2022 third edition replaced the 2011 second edition and brings the UK guidance into closer alignment with European standard BS EN 17037 (Daylight in Buildings). It sets out the recommended targets and methodologies that UK Local Planning Authorities use to assess the impact of new development on:

  • Daylight to neighbouring windows — Vertical Sky Component (VSC) and Daylight Distribution / No-Sky-Line (NSL)
  • Sunlight to neighbouring windows — Annual Probable Sunlight Hours (APSH), with separate winter checks
  • Sun-on-ground / overshadowing — at least 2 hours of sunlight on 21 March across at least 50% of amenity areas
  • Internal daylight — daylight and sunlight provision inside the proposed dwellings (BS EN 17037 climate-based daylight modelling)
  • Solar glare and reflections — for relevant high-glazing schemes

Key BRE 2022 metrics & targets

VSCVertical Sky Component — the percentage of visible sky at the centre of a window. BRE target: at least 27%, or no worse than 0.8× the existing value. NSLNo-Sky-Line / Daylight Distribution — proportion of the room that can see the sky. Target: retain ≥ 0.8× of the existing area. APSHAnnual Probable Sunlight Hours — total: ≥ 25% of annual hours; winter (21 Sep – 21 Mar): ≥ 5%. Or retain ≥ 0.8× of existing. SoGSun-on-Ground — at least 50% of an amenity space should receive ≥ 2 hours of sunlight on 21 March. EDEquinox Day — used as the reference date for sun-on-ground and overshadowing studies.

Note: BRE targets are guidance, not pass/fail. LPAs weigh them alongside local plan policy and site context.

What's in your report

A planning-ready document, not a spreadsheet.

Every Fortress daylight report is structured for the planning officer reading it. Clear summary, defensible methodology, full calculations.

  • Executive summary tailored to your LPA
  • 3D model of your scheme and surrounding context
  • VSC, NSL & APSH calculations for every affected window
  • Sun-on-ground & overshadowing analysis
  • Internal daylight assessment (BS EN 17037 where applicable)
  • Mitigation recommendations & policy-aware narrative
  • Full appendices — every number cited and shown
Mid-rise UK building — BRE 2022 daylight assessment context
Why Fortress

Built to improve your planning approval rate.

A daylight report should be a tool to get your scheme approved — not a checkbox exercise that gives the LPA reasons to refuse.

UK-based, UK-focused

We work exclusively to UK BRE 2022 methodology and LPA expectations — no generic templates.

No advance payment

£0 deposit. You pay only after the report has been delivered and accepted.

Approval-rate focused

Reports written to address LPA concerns proactively — improving the likelihood of first-time approval.

4–5 day delivery

Standard turnaround under a week. Expedited delivery available when you're up against a planning deadline.

Defensible methodology

Every number cited, every calculation shown. The kind of audit trail planning officers respect.

Direct senior contact

Speak to the person doing the work — never a call-centre or junior intermediary.

Methodology

How we build a defensible daylight report.

Every step is documented, every input cited, every assumption shown. No black-boxes.

1

3D context model

We build a 3D model of your scheme and surrounding buildings using your DWG/PDF/IFC inputs.

2

Pre-development baseline

Calculate the existing daylight & sunlight position at every relevant window — your scheme's reference point.

3

Post-development assessment

Run the full BRE 2022 calculation suite — VSC, NSL, APSH, sun-on-ground — on the proposed condition.

4

Comparative analysis

Compare results against BRE targets and Local Plan policy. Flag any sensitivities and propose mitigations.

5

Statement & appendices

Write a clear, cited planning statement with full appendices — ready for direct submission.

Standards

Built on the standards UK LPAs require.

BRE BR 209 (2022, 3rd edition) BS EN 17037 (Daylight in Buildings) NPPF / NPPG London Plan 2021 Local Borough Policies RICS Surveyor Guidance
FAQ

Daylight reports — explained.

Quick answers to questions architects and homeowners ask us most.

Ask anything
Do I need a daylight report for my UK planning application?
Most UK Local Planning Authorities require a daylight & sunlight assessment for any development that may affect daylight to neighbouring habitable rooms — extensions, new builds, conversions and infill schemes typically need one.
What standards do you use?
BRE Guidelines 2022 (BR 209, third edition) and BS EN 17037 — the methodology UK LPAs expect to see.
Do I have to pay in advance?
No. We don't take any advance payment. You only pay after the report has been delivered and you're satisfied.
How long does it take?
Standard turnaround is 4–5 working days from receipt of your drawings and brief. Expedited turnarounds are often possible — ask when you enquire.
What if my scheme doesn't meet BRE targets?
We provide a balanced assessment with mitigation recommendations and policy context. BRE values are guidance, not pass/fail — what matters is a defensible argument tailored to local context. This is where a senior-led report makes a real difference to your approval prospects.
Can you produce sun-on-ground / shadow studies?
Yes — sun-on-ground studies, hourly shadow plots and CGIs of the daylight model can be added to any report.
Get Started

Need a daylight report? Get a fixed quote in 24 hours.

Email your drawings — we'll respond with a fee and delivery date the next working day. No advance payment.

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