Zone	Surrounding	Lighting Environment	ILP examples	Corresponding areas in Thanet
E0	Protected	Dark	UNESCO starlight reserves, IDA dark sky parks	None
E1	Natural	Intrinsically dark	National Parks, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty etc	Landscape Character Areas associated with Pegwell Bay and former Wantsum Channel, the European Marine Sites
E2	Rural	Low district brightness	Village or relatively dark outer suburban locations	Rural areas outside of the built confines Including Green Wedges
E3	Suburban	Medium district brightness	Small town centres or suburban locations	Urban areas and villages
E4	Urban	High district brightness	Town/city centres with high levels of night time activity	Amusement area at Margate Seafront

 

16.41 The Institute of Lighting Professionals recommends the following standards within these areas:

Environmental Zone	Sky Glow ULR [Max %](1)	Light Intrusion (into Windows) Ev [lux] (2)	Luminaire Intensity I [candelas] (3)	Building Luminance Pre-curfew (4)
		Pre- curfew	Post- curfew	Pre- curfew	Post- curfew	Average, L
E0	0	0	0	0	0	0
E1	0	2	0 ( 1*)	2,500	0	0
E2	2.5	5	1	7,500	500	5
E3	5.0	10	2	10,000	1,000	10
E4	15	25	5	25,000	2,500	25

 

ULR = Upward Light Ratio of the Installation is the maximum permitted percentage of luminaire flux that goes directly into the sky.

Ev = Vertical Illuminance in Lux - measured flat on the glazing at the centre of the window.

I = Light Intensity in Candelas (cd)

L = Luminance in Candelas per Square Metre (cd/m2)

Curfew = the time after which stricter requirements (for the control of obtrusive light) will apply; often a condition of use of lighting applied by the local planning authority. If not otherwise stated - 23.00hrs is suggested.

* = Permitted only from Public road lighting installations

1) Upward Light Ratio - Some lighting schemes will require the deliberate and careful use of upward light, e.g. ground recessed luminaires, ground mounted floodlights, festive lighting, to which these limits cannot apply. However, care should always be taken to minimise any upward waste light by the proper application of suitably directional luminaires and light controlling attachments.

2) Light Intrusion (into Windows) - These values are suggested maxima and need to take account of existing light intrusion at the point of measurement. In the case of road lighting on public highways where building facades are adjacent to the lit highway, these levels may not be obtainable. In such cases where a specific complaint has been received, the Highway Authority should endeavour to reduce the light intrusion into the window down to the post curfew value by fitting a shield, replacing the luminaire, or by varying the lighting level.

3) Luminaire Intensity - This applies to each luminaire in the potentially obtrusive direction, outside of the area being lit. The figures given are for general guidance only and for some sports lighting applications with limited mounting heights, may be difficult to achieve.

4) Building Luminance - This should be limited to avoid over lighting, and related to the general district brightness. In this reference building luminance is applicable to buildings directly illuminated as a night-time feature as against the illumination of a building caused by spill light from adjacent luminaires or luminaires fixed to the building but used to light an adjacent area.

Further information, guidance and advice is available from the ILE website https://www.theilp.org.uk/resources/free-resources/ and developers are recommended to refer to these.

 

Policy SE08 - Light Pollution

Development proposals that include the provision of new outdoor lighting or require specific lighting in connection with the operation of the proposed development will be permitted if it can be demonstrated that:

1. It has been designed to minimise light glare, light trespass, light spillage and sky glow through using the best available technology to minimise light pollution and conserve energy;
2. There is no adverse impact on residential amenity and the character of the surroundings;
3. There is no adverse impact on sites of nature conservation interest and/or protected and other vulnerable species and heritage assets;
4. There is no adverse impact on landscapes character areas, the wider countryside or those areas where dark skies are an important part of the nocturnal landscape;
5. It does not have an adverse impact on long distance views or from vantage points;
6. Where appropriate, mitigation measures are proposed.

In addition a lighting strategy may be required for large developments or those developments with specific lighting requirements or for those that are in or adjacent to sensitive locations.

A Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment will be required for proposed developments that fall in to the E1 category.

Proposals that exceed the Institute of Lighting Professionals standards will not be permitted.

[i] https://www.theilp.org.uk/documents/obtrusive-light/