Draft Planning Application Validation Checklist

What is it?

Policy ENV1 of the Plan Strategy states that planning permission will be granted for development that will maintain and, where possible, enhance environmental quality, and protects communities from materially harmful development. Development must not result in an unacceptable adverse impact on the environment, including light pollution.

Policy OS5 of the Plan Strategy relates to proposals for intensive sports facilities. There should be no unacceptable impact on amenities of people living nearby including light pollution likely to be generated.

Policy OS7 of the Plan Strategy relates to proposals for floodlighting. The council will only support the development of floodlighting associated with sports and outdoor recreational facilities where all the criteria in the policy are met.

A Lighting Impact Assessment explains how proposals that include largescale external lighting, such as floodlighting, will impact on the visual amenity of the area, and living conditions of local people.

When is it required?

A Lighting Impact Assessment should be provided with applications for:

• proposals involving largescale artificial lighting (such as floodlighting of sports pitches); or
• proposals for sensitive receptors close to a largescale existing artificial light source.

What should be included?

A Lighting Impact Assessment should include:

1. technical specification of the external lighting, including a layout plan with beam orientation and a schedule of the equipment in the design;
2. details of any directional hoods or other forms of mitigation;
3. proposed hours of illumination;
4. a light overspill diagram with a vertical lux contour plot and calculated vertical lux levels at appropriate façade heights at sensitive premises, taking account of topography;
5. identification of the appropriate environmental zone as outlined in the relevant Institute of Lighting Professionals guidance document: and
6. the design and layout details of the proposal should demonstrate that any existing light sources will have no negative impact on habitable rooms.

Guidance

Detailed guidance on lighting impact can be found on the Institute of Lighting Professionals (ILP) website. This includes the ILP Guidance on Undertaking Environmental Lighting Impact Assessments and Guidance Note for the reduction of obtrusive light.

Guidance is also provided by Sport England – Outdoor Sports Lighting Briefing Note.