Whitechapel Estate, London

Granted on appeal in 2018, the Whitechapel Estate proposals involves a masterplan redevelopment that includes 12 buildings with a maximum height of 23 storeys. This redevelopment will provide 343 dwellings, 168 units associated with the hospital, and commercial space.

GIA acted as an expert witness at the Public Inquiry for this landmark case. The focus of the case was to advocate for a more contextual approach in assessing the impact of daylight and sunlight in high-density urban developments.

To address this, we introduced a new approach that utilised the Housing SPG guidelines to measure the impact on daylight and sunlight. This involved comparing the proposed development to similar projects in the area and throughout London, taking into account factors such as access to public transport, open spaces, and amenities.

Through our research, our team demonstrated that many of London’s desirable residential areas have already seen successful developments that are similar to the proposed Whitechapel project. These areas provide comparable levels of daylight, street widths, mixed uses, open spaces, and amenities.

Overall, GIA’s presentation at the Public Inquiry highlighted the importance of considering daylight and sunlight in relation to other benefits in urban development projects.