Q&As

Is an express grant of an easement of light which purports to be for the benefit of buildings to be constructed in the future valid (the land is currently vacant)?

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Produced in partnership with Chris Bryden of 4 King’s Bench Walk
Published on: 13 August 2019
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An easement of light like any other easement is a right that benefits one plot of land by giving such rights over adjacent land. A right to light is an important right as it prevents the owner of the servient land from interfering with that right, for example, by the construction of buildings on their plot of land which would block light. The scope of such a right is ordinarily that the dominant land has the right to a reasonable amount of natural light from the sky to the windows of their buildings.

The right to light applies in respect of windows or other apertures in a building rather than to the land itself. The right is therefore not a general right to receive light but rather relates to a specific dwelling house or other

Chris Bryden
Chris Bryden

Barrister, 4 King’s Bench Walk

Chris was called to the Bar in 2003 and since that time has built a busy practice across a range of areas, with an emphasis on Chancery practice. He enjoys a well-deserved reputation for his knowledge and expertise in each area. He appears regularly in the County Court, Family Court and the High Court as well as various specialist Tribunals, and has been involved in cases up to and including the Supreme Court. He regularly is instructed at Appellate level. He has extensive and wide-ranging experience particularly in the areas of wills, probate and inheritance disputes; property including adverse possession, boundary disputes and issues arising out of trusts of land; company and commercial work and financial remedies. Chris is head of the Family Group and head of the Property Team at 4KBW.

Chris is the author of numerous articles in publications such as the New Law Journal, Counsel and Family Law, amongst many other titles, and is the co-author of Social Media in the Workplace: A Handbook (2015, Jordan Publishing).

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United Kingdom

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