Guidance Note 3

Daylight and Intervisibility of Windows

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INTRODUCTION

1. In the exercise of its development quality functions the Council will seek to ensure that good standards of daylighting and privacy are established and maintained in and around residential development.

GUIDANCE

2. In consideration of planning applications:-

a) the Council will carefully examine the implications of development proposals to ensure that a reasonable measure of daylight reaches the windows of residential properties and that appropriate light levels are available in garden areas; and

b) the proposed development should conform generally to the guidelines for intervisibility of windows between adjacent residential properties, as shown in the table below and illustrated overleaf. Each set of circumstances will be looked at individually to assess the fitness of the relevant guideline distance, which may be reduced or increased as deemed necessary by the Council.

*Angle at window of any other house not more than:-*		*Angle at window of house/extension etc. to be erected not more than:-*
		90°	80°	70°	60°	50°	40°	30°	20°	10°	0°
	90°	18	18	18	18	13	9	6	4	3	2
	80°	18	18	18	13	9	6	4	3	2	-
	70°	18	18	13	9	6	4	3	2	-	-
	60°	18	13	9	6	4	3	2	-	-	-
	50°	13	9	6	4	3	2	-	-	-	-
	40°	9	6	4	3	2	-	-	-	-	-
	30°	6	4	3	2	-	-	-	-	-	-
	20°	4	3	2	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
	10°	3	2	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
	0°	2	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

NOTES

‘Angle’ means the horizontal angle included between:

a) the shortest line joining any part of one window opening to any part of the other; and

b) the vertical plane of the opening of the window.

N.B. The guideline distances are identical to those formerly contained in Building Regulations.