Well this is encouraging.....

[laser_jock99]

Found this page buried in Powys County Council Unitary Development Plan

Powys County Council UDP 2001-2016 Adopted March 2010

___________________________________________________________________________________

General Development Policies 204

14.4 Lighting

14.4.1 Lighting in the Countryside: Towards Good Practice (1997), published by the

former Department of the Environment, Transport and Regions provides practical

advice on the prevention and control of lighting impacts by all those involved with

lighting in the countryside. It recognises that lighting can help promote security, reduce

road accidents, advertise commercial enterprises, permit outdoor working and sports

activities at night and enhance the environment. However excessive, poorly designed

and badly aimed lighting may have adverse effects. Excessive lighting on rural roads,

village streets and in other areas of the countryside can lead to sky glow and light

trespass which shuts out the splendour of Powys’ important, unique, dark night skies

and lighting apparatus can spoil daytime views. Glare from excessively bright or poorly

aimed lights causes dazzle, with safety implications for motorists and pedestrians, and

destroys privacy. Over time it can also blur the distinction between urban and rural

areas.

14.4.2 All residential estates with adoptable roads throughout the County must have

appropriate highway lighting. The Council’s policy indicates that all new lighting should

focus light to where it is needed and minimise light spillage into the night sky. Specific

types of lighting may be conditioned in planning permissions to create a uniform

approach for reducing light pollution. Further advice on street lighting will be included

within the Highways Design Guide.

14.4.3 The County Council appreciates that the intrusiveness of lighting in the

countryside should be kept to a minimum and will assess the need for lighting in

association with development proposals. Instead of automatically assuming that

lighting is necessary, applicants should consider carefully whether: the development

could proceed without lighting; the benefits of lighting outweigh any dis-benefits; and

whether there are any alternatives to lighting. Having established that lighting is

needed, an appraisal of the specific lighting requirements of the site should be

undertaken so that the lighting scheme is designed to integrate with its surroundings.

Among the issues that should be examined will be the effects of night lighting on dark

landscapes, the appearance of lighting structures in daytime, potential impacts on the

amenity of local residents and effects on the safety of transport users.

POLICY DC3 - EXTERNAL LIGHTING

PROPOSALS INVOLVING EXTERNAL LIGHTING WILL NOT BE PERMITTED

WHERE THEY WOULD CAUSE:

1. A NUISANCE OR HAZARD TO HIGHWAY USERS;

2. UNACCEPTABLE LEVELS OF LIGHT POLLUTION, ESPECIALLY IN THE

COUNTRYSIDE;

3. HARM TO THE CHARACTER AND APPEARANCE OF ANY BUILDING OR THE

SURROUNDING ENVIRONMENT;

4. ADVERSE IMPACT ON WILDLIFE.

SPECIAL CONSIDERATION WILL BE GIVEN TO THOSE PROPOSALS ESSENTIAL

FOR PUBLIC SAFETY.

I particulary like this phrase " .....the splendour of Powys’ important, unique, dark night skies" maybe the Council realizes at last that it is an important asset?

[laser_jock99]

By contrast this all the Warwickshire (where I'm sat as I type) County Council Development Plan has to say:

8.2.2 The impact of all aspects of a

proposed development should be

considered prior to determination. This

should include the effects of factors

such as noise, dust and light pollution

on existing occupants; damage to

recreational facilities, natural,

geological, archaeological and historic

Hence the number of floodlit golf driving ranges etc. round here!