Artificial lighting is only a statutory nuisance in England, Scotland and Wales, but may still be a nuisance in Northern Ireland.
Artificial lighting as a statutory nuisance
In England, Scotland and Wales your local council will investigate all complaints of nuisances caused by artificial lighting. When determining if the lighting is a nuisance they will consider:
- the nature of the surrounding area
- how often and when the lighting is used
- how long the lighting is used each time.
Some premises are excluded from nuisance lighting in the interests of health and safety:
- goods vehicle operating centres
- public transport facilities.
Even if your premises are excluded, you must still use lighting in a responsible and appropriate way.
Good practice
Plan the lighting for your site to make sure that lights only come on when they are needed. Careful planning can
reduce your
energy costs.
You should :
- position lights carefully to ensure that you use the minimum number of lights
- dim and switch off lights when they are not required
- use baffles, shields and louvres to reduce obtrusive light
- use lights that switch off automatically when natural light is available.
Angle your lights downwards rather than upwards. Use light fittings that reduce any light shining upwards. The ideal angle of lighting is less than 70 degrees from the vertical. Lights that shine upwards are more likely to cause a nuisance, waste money and create an orange ‘smog’ in the sky (light pollution).
Make sure your security lights do not produce excessive glare, which could affect drivers or neighbours. Only use the necessary amount of lighting you need. Lights that are too strong can create dark shadows, which could encourage theft or vandalism on your site.
Use security lights that are activated by movement. Check they are only triggered by humans and not animals.
