8/8/2019 Guide 042 Light Pollution

1/1

RTPI Introductory Guide to Planning & Environmental Protection

PREVIOUS NEXT

1 RESOURCES & PROCESSES

Light Pollution

2 DEFINITION

"Skyglow which has tainted the night sky over Britain since the 1950's, mostly as a result of poorly aimedstreetlights and floodlights emitting light above the horizontal into the sky, but nowadays increasingly becauseof vastly over-powered, poorly mounted household security lights."[British Astronomical Association]

3 EXPLANATION

A satellite image of the UK at midnight clearly demonstrates that light escapes from every urban area, and is

visible from a substantial distance from the planet. Many people regard this as a form of pollution.

It is argued that this is not only a question of astronomy: overlighting consumes unnecessary energy; mayaffect human health; and may cause disruption to animal and plant life.

4 COMMENTARY

Appropriate street lighting is essential to community safety. Street lighting is also a substantial consumer ofenergy. However, much public (as well as private) lighting is misdirected or excessive. The Campaign for Dark

Skies (Preventing Light Pollution: The Four Point Plan)argues that:

Wherever possible lights should be installed in full cut-off or ultra low-profile housings to prevent theemission of light above the horizontal.

Although astronomers prefer the light emitted by low pressure sodium lamps (as this can be filtered out),high pressure sodium lamps are acceptable provided there is negligible spill above the horizontal.

'Overlighting' must be avoided. Using only the correct amount of light for the task in hand, according toaccepted standards, will reduce the amount of reflected light contributing to sky glow.

Unnecessary night-time lighting, particularly decorative floodlighting, merchandising and advertising lighting

and sports floodlighting, should be switched off at 11pm or midnight to reduce the total sky glow in theearly morning, pre-dawn hours.

5 RELEVANCE TO PLANNI NG

Development Plans can include light pollution or light trespass clauses. Local Plans with recognised policiesinclude: Swale Borough, East Hampshire District, Malvern Hills, Hinckley & Bosworth Borough, Epsom & Ewell.

Light pollution can be a material consideration, and a justification for refusal or enforcement. In several places(eg Northampton, Worthing and Skegness), councils have ordered sky-beam advertisements on night-clubs andsimilar establishments to be switched off on environmental and traffic safety grounds. A refusal of permissionfor a night-club advertisement in Guildford, comprising light beams that would have been visible from 20 miles,

was endorsed on appeal. However, in all such cases, it is the lighting equipment not the light itself which issubject to planning controls. Small security lights which do not significantly alter a buildings external

appearance are outside the scope of planning controls.

6 LEGISLATIVE CONTEXT

Although the issue is acknowledged by Government there is currently no legislation on this matter. Lighting is

not included in the list of pollutants under the Control of Pollution Act, and the courts have ruled that light itself

does not amount to development for planning purposes. Therefore controls can be imposed only where an LPAhas a planning application to consider.

7 FURTHER INFORMATI ON & LINKS

Countryside Commission/DEFRA, Lighting in the Countryside - Towards Good Practice, 1997Dept. of Transport, Road Lighting and the Environment.Institution of Lighting Engineers, Guidance Notes for the Reduction of Light Pollution,1997 and Urban Lighting Guide: A Guide toGood Urban Lighting. (n/d)

British Astronomical Association's Campaign for Dark Skies,Incorporating Lighting Clauses in Your Local Plan; PreventingLight Pollution: The Four Point Plan[leaflets]P Jukes, "Light Pollution & the Law" in Journal of Planning Law (Jan 1998)

R Mizon,Light Pollution: Responses and Remedies, Springer, 2001

International Dark-Sky AssociationNational Society for Clean Air and Environmental Protection

Council for the Protection of Rural EnglandNSCA Leafleton light pollution

Environment Agency briefing note

INDEX INTRODUCTION FEEDBACK

PREVIOUS NEXT

http://guide%20041%20life%20cycle%20analysis.pdf/http://guide%20041%20life%20cycle%20analysis.pdf/http://guide%20043%20litter%20etc.pdf/http://guide%20043%20litter%20etc.pdf/http://www.planning.dtlr.gov.uk/litc/index.htmhttp://www.planning.dtlr.gov.uk/litc/index.htmhttp://www.ile.co.uk/http://www.ile.co.uk/http://www.dark-skies.freeserve.co.uk/cfds/info/localplan.htmhttp://www.dark-skies.freeserve.co.uk/cfds/info/localplan.htmhttp://www.dark-skies.freeserve.co.uk/cfds/info/inf002.htmhttp://www.dark-skies.freeserve.co.uk/cfds/info/inf002.htmhttp://www.dark-skies.freeserve.co.uk/cfds/info/inf002.htmhttp://www.dark-skies.freeserve.co.uk/cfds/info/inf002.htmhttp://www.darksky.org/http://www.darksky.org/http://www.nsca.org.uk/http://www.nsca.org.uk/http://www.cpre.org.uk/http://www.cpre.org.uk/http://www.nsca.org.uk/leaf6.htmhttp://www.nsca.org.uk/leaf6.htmhttp://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/yourenv/eff/pollution/lighthttp://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/yourenv/eff/pollution/lighthttp://guide%20007%20topics.pdf/http://guide%20003%20intro.pdf/http://guide%20000%20feedback.pdf/http://guide%20000%20feedback.pdf/http://guide%20041%20life%20cycle%20analysis.pdf/http://guide%20041%20life%20cycle%20analysis.pdf/http://guide%20043%20litter%20etc.pdf/http://guide%20043%20litter%20etc.pdf/http://guide%20043%20litter%20etc.pdf/http://guide%20041%20life%20cycle%20analysis.pdf/http://guide%20000%20feedback.pdf/http://guide%20003%20intro.pdf/http://guide%20007%20topics.pdf/http://guide%20043%20litter%20etc.pdf/http://guide%20041%20life%20cycle%20analysis.pdf/http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/yourenv/eff/pollution/lighthttp://www.nsca.org.uk/leaf6.htmhttp://www.cpre.org.uk/http://www.nsca.org.uk/http://www.darksky.org/http://www.dark-skies.freeserve.co.uk/cfds/info/inf002.htmhttp://www.dark-skies.freeserve.co.uk/cfds/info/inf002.htmhttp://www.dark-skies.freeserve.co.uk/cfds/info/localplan.htmhttp://www.ile.co.uk/http://www.planning.dtlr.gov.uk/litc/index.htm