Portal Way, London

12-storey mixed use building comprising of commercial kitchens and public spaces

The development consists of the demolition of the existing buildings to construct a 12-storey mixed use building comprising of commercial kitchens and public spaces at lower ground/ground floor levels to contain commercial and retail units alongside a food hall.

Scope of Work

Herrington Consulting were requested to undertake a Daylight and Sunlight Assessment Report for the impact on neighbouring properties alongside the impact on recently consented schemes. We also undertook an initial transient overshadowing assessment and façade analysis.

Constraints/difficulties overcome as part of the project

The initial results indicated that majority of the neighbouring properties were compliant with the BRE criteria, but there were some properties experiencing reductions beyond the BRE thresholds. Consequently, we assessed the scheme against alternative targets using a previously approved scheme from 2021 on the development site as a baseline.

Concerns were also raised regarding the impact to a neighbouring scheme that had recently obtained outline planning and therefore did not have confirmed window and room layouts. We therefore suggested undertaking a façade analysis.

Photo courtesy of Dowen Farmer Architects

Existing scenario

Proposed Scenario

Proposed Scheme with Consented Neighbours

The Leas Pavilion, Folkestone

This is an example of where Herrington Consulting’s specialist Daylight & Sunlight team worked closely with the architect Hollaway Studio to ensure that the proposed scheme did not adversely impact upon the amenity of its neighbours. The scheme involved the complete restoration and redevelopment of the Grade II listed Leas Pavilion, in Folkestone to provide 90 apartments and a residents and community space for special events.

In order to maximise the potential for development at the Leas Pavilion site, whilst ensuring the proposal did not adversely harm the daylight and sunlight available to the neighbouring residential buildings, it was important to carry out an initial scoping phase to give Hollaway Studio an indication of the potential receptors that could be impacted. From this stage, cut back analysis was carried out in order to aid Hollaway Studio with potential massing options to help mitigate any loss of daylight and sunlight to surrounding windows. A detailed assessment was then produced for the finalised scheme to accompany the planning application.

Rendered image of 3D numerical model used in the simulation of daylight and sunlight impacts

Rufus Business Centre, London

Daylight & Sunlight

Our initial involvement in the project was in the very early stages of the design where we worked alongside the architect to develop massing envelopes that were specifically ‘tuned’ to ensure the proposals would not adversely impact upon the daylight and sunlight enjoyed by the neighbouring properties. This was further developed as the design progressed and a detailed assessment was prepared to accompany the planning application.

Transient Overshadowing Study

This assessment also included a transient overshadowing study that allowed the shadows cast by the development to be tracked on an hour-by-hour basis for a range of times throughout the year. This provided a clear indication of any potential overshadowing impacts.

In addition to the impact on neighbours, we also worked with the architects to ensure that all habitable rooms within the development

would benefit from good levels of natural daylight and sunlight.

Solar Glare

The development is adjacent to the railway line and therefore the potential for reflected sunlight from the façades of the buildings to cause reduced visibility or distractions to train drivers was identified at an early stage. To ensure that the proposals would not impact on the safety of the railway a solar glare study was undertaken. This utilised numerical modelling techniques to simulate potential glare instances at a range of assessment locations along the railway line at different times of day. This was repeated throughout the year to identify all potential glare instances, and for each time/location that a potential glare risk was identified, the veiling luminance was calculated. This was then used to assess disability glare from the source.

Flood Risk

The site lies within Flood Zones 2 and 3 of the River Wandle and whilst it was possible to design the scheme such that all living accommodation was raised above the design flood level, the scheme did have potential to displace floodwater, thus increasing the risk of flooding elsewhere. Our role in the design was therefore to ensure that the volume of floodwater displaced was not increased by the scheme.

Using hydraulic modelling, different options were tested and refined. The final design included a floodable void space beneath part of the building, as well as voids beneath a raised landscaped public realm area in the middle of the site.

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Project Category: Daylight/Sunlight