Daylight & Sunlight Assessments
for Manchester Planning.
daylight and sunlight assessments — VSC, APSH and NSL analysis — for planning applications across Manchester and Greater Manchester, from suburban extensions to high-rise schemes near Deansgate Square and Beetham Tower. Joining our service line in late August 2026 — enquire now to reserve an early slot.
We confirm the applicable BRE 209 criteria with your council before modelling begins
A daylight assessment is not the same as a shadow diagram.
Knowing where a shadow falls and knowing whether a window still gets enough light are two different questions. The second one — governed by BRE 209 — is what Manchester City Council actually weighs when judging neighbour amenity, particularly on the denser city centre schemes. If your project only needs the shadow picture, not the full calculation, go for Shadow Diagrams Manchester instead — from £280.
The two get confused constantly, but they're not the same thing. BRE 209 is judged by the council during planning. Right to Light is a private matter between neighbours that builds up over time and has nothing to do with planning permission — the council doesn't rule on it either way. We handle the BRE 209 side; for Right to Light, you'd need a solicitor or a specialist surveyor.
What a BR 209 Daylight and Sunlight Assessment Can Include
One fixed price for your Manchester submission. VSC, APSH and NSL calculated for every affected window, plus shadow diagrams, methodology statement and one free amendment — see the full deliverable breakdown on our UK page.
- ✓ VSC for all affected windows
- ✓ APSH for main living room windows
- ✓ NSL working plane analysis
- ✓ Shadow diagrams included
- ✓ Methodology statement (DAS-ready)
- ✓ One free planning amendment
27% VSC · 25%/5% APSH · 0.8× NSL
Manchester City Council applies BRE 209 (2022) with contextual flexibility in city centre regeneration zones like NOMA and Ancoats — we confirm the applicable approach before commencing. For the full explanation of each metric, see our UK-wide BRE 209 reference.
Where Manchester assessments fall down.
Three recurring mistakes cause most of the pushback we see from Manchester City Council.
- ✕A window doesn't make the cut
In mixed-use city centre schemes, it's easy to overlook a secondary bedroom or a ground-floor unit facing the development — miss one and expect the whole report back for rework.
- ✕Data with no conclusion attached
A spreadsheet of VSC figures isn't a decision. Council officers want to see, in writing, whether each window passes or fails against BRE 209 — not have to work it out themselves.
- ✕Density estimated, not measured
Around NOMA, Ancoats and other regeneration zones, building heights change fast. An assessment based on out-of-date massing rarely holds up.
- ✓Nothing left off the list
We map out every window in scope before modelling starts and agree it with you in writing — ground floor units included.
- ✓A clear pass or fail, every time
Each VSC, APSH and NSL figure states its BRE 209 outcome directly, worded for a planning officer to read and act on.
- ✓Current geometry, verified
We model from up-to-date survey or OS data, and flag regeneration-zone schemes early so the density case is ready for the council from day one.
From brief to planning-ready BRE 209 assessment in four steps
Send Your Brief
Get your drawings, an OS extract and your council name over to us. From that alone, we can tell you exactly what BRE 209 will require for your site before we start.
Scope Confirmed in Writing
We write back with the full list of windows in scope, which BRE 209 metrics apply, and anything Manchester City Council specifically asks for — all before the model gets built.
First Draft in 48 Hours
Model gets built and checked against OS survey data, then VSC, APSH and NSL are run for every window on the list. You'll have a first draft, methodology statement included, inside 48 hours.
Final Report & Source Files
Review it, send us one round of changes, and we'll turn around the final PDF, result tables and DWG files — ready to attach to your Planning Portal submission.
Transparent pricing. No surprises.
Every quote is fixed price — not hourly. Invoiced in GBP. No VAT applicable.
Up to 10 windows assessed. VSC + APSH + NSL. Single planning application.
- VSC for all affected windows
- APSH for main living room windows
- NSL working plane analysis
- Shadow diagrams at equinox & solstice
- BRE 209 methodology statement
- Window-by-window interpretation against the applicable criteria
- 1 free planning amendment · NET 14
11+ windows, multi-storey development, or complex site geometry.
- Everything in Standard package
- Extended window schedule (11+)
- Multi-storey / complex geometry
- Appeal-quality methodology statement
- Referable-scheme presentation on request
- Priority 48-hour turnaround available
- Quoted per project scope
All prices in GBP. No VAT — invoiced from KAS STUDIO DOOEL, Skopje, North Macedonia. Fixed quotes within 24 hours of brief received.
Manchester City and all ten Greater Manchester boroughs
Not listed here? Get in touch — we work with every Manchester borough.
Common questions about BRE 209 daylight assessments in Manchester
More questions on files, VAT, VSC/APSH/NSL definitions and turnaround? See the full FAQ on our UK page.
Also need just a shadow diagram, or coverage elsewhere?
Fixed-price quote within 24 hours.
- BRE 209 assessments from late August 2026
- Enquire now to reserve an early slot
- 48-hour first draft
- 1 free planning amendment included
- No VAT · NET 14 payment terms
Prefer to email directly? info@casstudio.com