By Allan Howard
GN01 is the ILP’s most downloaded and referenced document and is a mainstay of all matters relating to obtrusive light across the industry, not only within the UK but wider afield.
The document was last updated in 2021, and an update has now been published on the ILP website (GN01/26).
WHY THE UPDATE?
As chair of GN01, I look to keep a record of developments within the sector that impact on the subject matter and note comments raised by the users. It was considered that with various changes and feedback that now was the right time for an update.
WHAT ARE THE KEY CHANGES?
Firstly, the title. We have changed it from ‘Guidance note for the reduction of obtrusive light’ to ‘Guidance for the avoidance of obtrusive light’.
This is because of avoidance being better than simply reduction, as avoidance, clearly, looks to eliminate and reduction just reduces.
AGENT OF CHANGE
The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) 2024 introduces the ‘agent of change’ principle.
This requires a developer introducing a new development to manage and mitigate impacts from existing neighbouring activities that may be a source of nuisance to those within the new development.
The aim being to protect established businesses and community facilities from unreasonable restrictions.
In essence, this means that, for example, if a development is proposed adjacent to an existing illuminated premises whose lighting could be considered as a nuisance to residents of the proposed development, the applicant must design the development or look to other mitigations to prevent this.
This includes mitigations such as supporting or funding changes to the existing lighting installation to ensure this does not occur. New residents should not effectively ‘come to a nuisance’.
EXEMPT PREMISES
The Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act (CNEA) 2005 advises on a list of exempt premises where statutory nuisance would not be considered.
This does not mean that such installations should not follow best practice as a Common Law nuisance case could be raised, a tort action meaning it would be a civil claim, and this is explained.
SAMPLE PLANNING REQUIREMENTS
Planners needed guidance on how to approach planning applications which include lighting, so a new appendix has been developed.
This essentially is a ‘Sample planning requirements’ document for planners to apply with respect to any application containing artificial light and covers all the necessary requirements and outputs.
ENVIRONMENTAL LIGHTING ZONE ASSESSMENT
In the 2021 update we considered that the inclusion of SQM [sky quality meter] measurements would aid the clarification of the right lighting environmental zone.
This has turned out not to be the case and that aspect has now been removed for the assessment.
True SQM assessments take at least a year to fully undertake in order to establish meaningful results and this is considered impactable when considering obtrusive light assessments.
Finally, I would like to thank the members of the working group for their time and contribution to this important update:
•Dan Oakley, Darkscape Consulting
•Ryan Carroll, DFL
•Leanne Parr, Friends of the Lake District
Allan Howard BEng(Hons) CEng FILP FSLL is global lighting lead, WSP Fellow, and group technical director lighting & energy solutions UK at WSP
- This is an abridged version of an article that is due to be published in the September edition of Lighting Journal. The September edition will also include an update on what’s changed with PLG02, the Energy Networks Association’s G12 document, plus future workstreams and publications that members can expect from Technical Committee.
