Right to sunlight – I have a follow up with my dealings with Hornsby council in relation to a recent DA that will block my solar access. In my letter of objection to council I highlighted the impact on my passive design of my house as well as on the installed solar panels on my roof. I provided detailed drawings showing the passive solar design noting sun angles and the impact of the proposed development on the all important winter sun. I explained to council that as with passive solar design principles the intention is to capture the low angle winter sun for solar heating and screen the high elevation summer sun. In councils report they wrote in justification of allowing additional shading by the new building "Overshadowing already occurs of the ....north facing windows to the living areas of the adjoining property to the south, .....as a result of a ....1.7m wide awning adjoining the northern side of the dwelling-house". When I subsequently questioned council about this statement (1.7m wide awning adjoining the northern side of the dwelling-house) they confirmed that they were referring to my veranda that forms the passive solar design of my house. Clearly, the whole intention of passive solar design is to block high elevation sun angles through summer to keep the house cool.
I have no right of reply and have to accept this statement from council as one reason for allowing the additional shading. If anyone thought that it was going to be easy adopting a sensible approa