Wales has become the first UK nation to introduce national best practice guidance to help protect its dark skies, the Welsh Government has said.
It has published new guidance, Good Practice Guidance: Planning for the Conservation and Enhancement of Dark Skies, that has been endorsed by DarkSky International.
The guidance outlines the planning and assessment process and showcases a range of both poor and good designs covering everything from residential and commercial lighting through to agricultural settings, sports lighting, cultural and heritage sites, and public buildings, among others.
There is also guidance on measuring dark skies and technical information on light and lighting.
Rebecca Evans, cabinet secretary for economy, energy and planning, at Welsh Government, said: “My expectation is that this guidance will be used across Wales by all those involved in the planning system, with the aim of letting people experience the wonder of the natural night sky and allowing ecosystems to function naturally by avoiding and removing light pollution across the country. A dark sky approach does not mean the use of no lights, but using better, dark sky friendly lights.
“Whatever our role and however big or small our development, our responsibility to ourselves and our future generations is to contribute positively to the wellbeing of Wales – this includes planning for dark skies,” she added.
The guidance is available to download via the Welsh Government website.
Image: Cardiff at night, Pexels
