1
Planning, Health and
Environment Division
The
0
45
Code
Daylight
People expect good natural daylight in
their
homes.
In
designing
a
new
development or an extension to a building,
care needs to be taken to safeguard the
daylight to adjacent residential properties
and protect them from overshadowing.
The quality of daylight
received by
properties adjoining development sites
can be severely restricted by buildings or
extensions which are too close to the
boundary or project too far into the rear
gardens.
The Wyre Forest District Local Plan
contains policies which aim to safeguard
the amenities of properties adjacent to
developments,
including
daylight.
Planning permission will not be granted for
development which unacceptably restricts
daylight to neighbouring properties.
In
order
to
assess
the
impact
of
development on neighbours’ daylight the
Council will apply the 450 code.
How it works
From the midpoint of the cill of the nearest
principal habitable room* window (or in the
case of patio doors, halfway down the door)
measure two 450 angles from the window
plane, thereby forming two lines diverging at
900 .
The plane connecting the two lines is then
tilted to an angle of 250 above the horizontal.
There should
450
450
be no
obstruction
25
0
above this
rising plane
The 450 line applies equally to ground and
first floor windows as well as to side
windows where they provide the only
source of light to a habitable room.
* habitable rooms include kitchens but not for
example
bathrooms,
w.c.’s,
landings, utility rooms or garages.
en-suites,
Examples
1. The single storey
extension shown
is acceptable if
limited in depth.
(figure 3)
But not if it is
450
3.
further extended.
4.
(figure 4)
2. Although the
single storey
extension
breaches the
450 line in plan
form,
it is clear of the
250 tilt and
therefore
acceptable.
It would not be
acceptable
though if it were
a two storey
extension.
Application
The
450
code
conservatories
applies
or
equally
other
to
extensions
comprising of ‘see through’ materials.
Where the neighbouring property has a
conservatory
or
similar
immediately
adjacent to the boundary, the 45 0 line is
drawn at the centre of the original opening.
Similarly where bay or bow windows are
affected the line is drawn from the mid point
at cill level at the back of the window where
it joins the main wall.
The 450 code needs to be applied carefully
and flexibly. We will take account of the
particular circumstances at each site which
might include orientation, differences in
levels, existing structures, brick boundary
walls (although not fences or vegetation
which are less permanent than walls) and
the distance between the affected window
and the extension.
It will normally be unacceptable to design an
extension
with
chamfered
corners,
asymmetrical roof etc. simply to avoid the
450 line as this leads to poor design.
Please note that applications must satisfy
other design principles as well as just the
450 code.
Further Information
For further information and advice on the 45 0
code or any other development control matters
you can contact us in the following ways:Visiting:
Monday - Friday
9.00am - 4.30pm
Planning, Health and Environment Division,
Development Control, Duke House,
Clensmore Street, Kidderminster,
Worcs. DY10 2JX
Telephone:
01562 732506
Fax:
01562732556
Writing to:
Planning, Health and Environment Division,
Development Control, Duke House,
Clensmore Street, Kidderminster,
Worcs. DY10 2JX
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.wyreforestdc.gov.uk
This leaflet is
available in
alternative print
on request
Planning, Health and
Environment Division