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The UK 'Right to Light' Property Law
In England and Wales, if a window has received natural daylight for 20 years, the property owner gains a legal 'Right to Light'.
The Right to Light is a form of easement in English law. If a window in a building has enjoyed uninterrupted natural light for 20 years or more, the owner has a legal right to prevent that light from being substantially blocked by a neighbor's new development.
This law frequently causes massive headaches for modern property developers in dense cities like London. Even if a developer has planning permission to build a new skyscraper, they can be sued and forced into expensive settlements—or even ordered to demolish parts of their new building—if they infringe on an existing neighbor's Right to Light.