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Manchester · Greater Manchester · 10 Boroughs

Shadow Diagrams for
Manchester Planning Applications.

shadow diagrams for planning applications across Manchester and all Greater Manchester boroughs — from a Chorlton rear extension to a high-rise scheme near Deansgate Square. Fixed prices from £280. First draft in 48 hours. Full BRE 209 daylight & sunlight assessments (VSC/APSH/NSL) join the Manchester service line in late August 2026 — enquire to reserve a slot.

18+ Years Experience Current UK Planning Standards Fixed Prices From £280 48-Hour First Draft

We read your council's validation checklist before we model a single shadow

VSC — Vertical Sky Component
Skylight reaching a window · 27% threshold · no more than 0.8× former value · BRE 209
APSH — Annual Probable Sunlight Hours
25% of annual sunlight hours · at least 5% in winter · windows within 90° of south
NSL — No Sky Line
Proportion of room receiving direct skylight · 0.8× former value threshold
Shadow Diagrams — Borough LPA
Overshadowing plans at equinox and solstice · 2-hour garden sunlight · confirmed against borough brief
What We Deliver

Daylight, sunlight and shadow evidence that survives Manchester's toughest planning officers.

Manchester City Council applies BRE 209 across some of the country's fastest-changing planning contexts — city centre regeneration zones like NOMA, Ancoats and Spinningfields, MediaCityUK across the Salford border, and dense suburban infill throughout the ten Greater Manchester boroughs. We build our shadow diagrams to survive scrutiny the first time: correct reference dates, a full BRE 209 methodology statement, and geometry matched exactly to your submitted drawings.

27%
VSC threshold — skylight adequacy under BRE 209
25%
APSH minimum — annual probable sunlight hours
2 hrs
Minimum garden/amenity sunlight on 21 March
What You Receive

Everything your Manchester planning application requires

One fixed price. No hidden extras. No surprise charges for additional time-points or revision rounds.

Shadow Footprints at Required Dates

Shadow diagrams at the equinox (21 March / 21 September) and winter solstice (21 December) at the times your council requires — typically 9am, 12pm and 3pm, or 8am–4pm hourly for larger schemes. Existing and proposed shadows distinguished by colour.

BRE 209 Methodology Statement

Written methodology note confirming software and sun-path model, OS grid reference, applicable BRE 209 criteria, reference dates and times, and true north basis. Ready to include in your Design and Access Statement.

VSC / APSH / NSL Analysis

Where required by your council, full Vertical Sky Component, Annual Probable Sunlight Hours and No Sky Line calculations for affected neighbouring windows, with results and interpretation against BR 209 (2022) thresholds for each window assessed.

True North & OS-Accurate Geometry

True north confirmed against OS map data. Site boundaries, neighbouring footprints and street alignment verified against your planning drawings — critical in Manchester's tight terraced streets and high-density city centre plots where a few degrees changes the outcome.

Print-Ready PDF + DWG / ArchiCAD Source

A1/A3 print-ready PDF formatted for planning portal upload, plus full DWG and/or ArchiCAD source files. No locked files, no watermarks.

One Free Planning Amendment

If your council's planning officer requests amended diagrams as a Further Information request, one amendment round is included at no additional charge — updated and re-issued within 48 hours.

BRE 209 Reference

The key thresholds Manchester planning officers check against

BRE 209 (Site Layout Planning for Daylight and Sunlight) is the guidance document Manchester boroughs use to assess daylight and sunlight impacts. For full VSC/APSH/NSL calculations with window-by-window interpretation against the applicable BR 209 (2022) criteria, see our Daylight & Sunlight Assessment Manchester service — here's the summary that matters for a standard shadow diagram.

VSC
Vertical Sky Component

27% VSC or more generally indicates adequate skylight. A reduction to below 0.8 times the former value may be considered noticeable.

City centre regeneration zones like NOMA, Ancoats and Spinningfields are frequently assessed with contextual flexibility given the higher density Manchester City Council actively encourages there — we confirm the applicable approach before modelling.

APSH
Annual Probable Sunlight Hours

Main living room windows facing within 90° of south should receive at least 25% of annual probable sunlight hours, including at least 5% in winter (21 September–21 March).

Assessed per window for every affected neighbouring property within the study area.

NSL
No Sky Line

Divides a room's working plane into areas that can and can't see the sky. If the daylit area falls below 0.8 times its former value, occupants typically notice the change.

BRE 209 §2.3

BRE 209 thresholds are guidance, not mandatory standards. Manchester boroughs apply them with varying degrees of contextual flexibility. We confirm the applicable approach with your council before commencing.

How It Works

From brief to submission-ready evidence in four steps

01

Send Your Brief

Share your planning drawings, OS map extract, and the council name or planning reference. We confirm the required reference dates, time-points and any council-specific validation requirements before starting.

02

Borough Brief & Scope Confirmed

We confirm applicable BRE 209 criteria, reference dates and whether full VSC/APSH/NSL is required, in writing. OS grid reference verified against your drawings.

03

First Draft in 48 Hours

3D model built from your drawings. Shadow footprints generated at all required times. BRE 209 methodology statement prepared. First working draft delivered within 48 hours.

04

Print-Ready & Submission-Ready

After review and one amendment round, final print-ready PDF, DWG and ArchiCAD source files delivered — formatted for direct upload to the Planning Portal.

Fixed-Price Quotes

Transparent pricing. No surprises.

Every quote is fixed price — not hourly. Invoiced in GBP. No VAT applicable (invoiced from North Macedonia).

Need more than a shadow diagram?

Multi-storey schemes and applications affecting neighbouring windows usually need full VSC/APSH/NSL analysis, not just shadow diagrams. See Daylight & Sunlight Assessment Manchester — from £450, with interpretation against the applicable criteria.

All prices in GBP. No VAT — invoiced from KAS STUDIO DOOEL, Skopje, North Macedonia. Fixed quotes within 24 hours of brief received.

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Coverage

Manchester City and all ten Greater Manchester boroughs

Regularly instructed across inner and outer Manchester. Not listed here? Get in touch — we work with every Manchester borough.

Manchester City Centre
Salford
Trafford
Stockport
Bolton
Bury
Oldham
Rochdale
Tameside
Wigan
MediaCityUK
NOMA / Ancoats
FAQ

Common questions about daylight, sunlight and shadow diagrams in Manchester

Most householder applications in Manchester — extensions, loft conversions, side returns — require shadow diagrams at the standard reference dates as part of the application. If your scheme is larger or affects a neighbour's windows directly, you may also need a full BRE 209 daylight/sunlight assessment covering VSC, APSH and NSL. See our Daylight & Sunlight Assessment Manchester page for that service.
Manchester City Council plus all Greater Manchester metropolitan boroughs — Salford, Trafford, Stockport, Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Tameside and Wigan. We regularly work on city centre regeneration schemes (NOMA, Ancoats, Spinningfields, Green Quarter), MediaCityUK in Salford, and suburban applications across all ten boroughs.
Most councils require shadow analysis at the equinox (21 March or 21 September) and the winter solstice (21 December), typically at 9am, 12pm and 3pm, with some requiring hourly coverage for larger schemes. We confirm the exact requirement with your council before starting every project.
We need your planning drawings (DWG, PDF or ArchiCAD preferred), an OS map extract or survey for true north and site boundary verification, and your council name or planning reference. IFC and Revit files are also accepted.
No. CasStudio is based in Skopje, North Macedonia (KAS STUDIO DOOEL). Invoices are issued in GBP from a non-UK entity and are not subject to UK VAT. Payment terms are NET 14 from invoice date.
Get a Quote

Fixed-price quote within 24 hours.

  • £280 householder / single dwelling
  • £450+ multi-unit / commercial
  • 48-hour first draft
  • 1 free planning amendment included
  • No VAT · NET 14 payment terms
Prepared to the applicable requirements as standard 18+ years of planning documentation

Prefer to email directly? info@casstudio.com