New build neighbours overkill exterior lighting

[DC5]

Hi all, we live in a rural area / valley in northern central Scotland.

 

We are a small hamlet of a few houses with no street lights and very minimal exterior lights.

 

Within the last 6 - 9 months a development of 3 houses has sprung up across the valley poss 1 mile as the crow flies. 

 

By day it looks ok and is relatively in keeping with the area however by night it looks like a Christmas tree!

 

There are several large bright flood lights and many up / down lights it looks ridiculous and significantly spoils our view at dusk and is an annoyance in darkness. All the lighting is cold in temperature and bright spot type.

 

I suspect there is very little we can do but it severely detracts from our previous view! 

 

 

 

 

[Ferdinand]

You would have to start with you generally not owning the view. BUT

 

1 His PP. What does it say? If in breach you may complain. And a nice letter from the PO may work. If it is a dev then they might have done a Visual Impact Assessment, which could be leveraged.

 

2. Council nuisance. I think light pollution may be addressable that way. 

 

3. Dark skies is a sexy thing these days. Especially in a Nat Park, or if you have local enthusiasts. May help. "They will all go and visit Kielder instead."

 

4. You could approach them directly. Surprisingly effective sometimes.

 

Perhaps they are nice people who will agree to a change. Most people are reasonable if approached reasonably with a genuine concern. It may be cheap, but they may ask you to pay eg for cowels. Problem here is that ‘will change the bulb type next time’ now means up to 5-10 years if LEDs.

 

5. Local astronomy group maybe willing to do something.

 

6. You accept that you now have a permanent conversation starter over your supper time cocoa and shortbread. Imagine 2055. 

 

“Remember, Shona, when those buggers installed that lighting back then .. nice people but I sure miss following the mountain rescue team on Ben McSavage by their lights”.

 

Whichever way, leave it 1-2 years and your chances of change may be 80% less.

 

Imo act now to mitigate, or grin and bear it forever. Your call ?.

 

It may seem strange to mention contributing, however that can be useful if asked .. I find that going halves on fences or materials or shared chimneys (done all 3 in last decade) even when not technically necessary means that I get an input and a decent job.

 

Ferdinand

 

Edited August 28, 2019 by Ferdinand

[Jeremy Harris]

As @Ferdinand says. it might be worth trying to find out if there is a "Dark Skies" initiative for your area.  Our AONB here is trying to gain "Dark Skies" accreditation for our area and consequently there are a fair few restrictions imposed on exterior lighting, street lighting etc.  Even if there's no such initiative where you are, there may possibly be a local planning policy covering light pollution that might be of use.

[Declan52]

A pellet gun and a sharp eye.

[Ferdinand]

2 hours ago, JSHarris said:

As @Ferdinand says. it might be worth trying to find out if there is a "Dark Skies" initiative for your area.  Our AONB here is trying to gain "Dark Skies" accreditation for our area and consequently there are a fair few restrictions imposed on exterior lighting, street lighting etc.  Even if there's no such initiative where you are, there may possibly be a local planning policy covering light pollution that might be of use.

 

Rent a telescope first ? ?

[Temp]

I think it would be very difficult to get anything done about lights that far away. 

 

Try driving past there at night. Do the lights cause a hazard to drivers? Even if they do I'm not sure what powers anyone has to sort it.

[Jeremy Harris]

11 minutes ago, Temp said:

I think it would be very difficult to get anything done about lights that far away. 

 

Try driving past there at night. Do the lights cause a hazard to drivers? Even if they do I'm not sure what powers anyone has to sort it.

 

 

I'm peripherally involved with a case where someone has installed a potentially hazardous, very bright, outside floodlight.  It's motion activated, but comes on every time a car drives along the lane, and shines directly into the eyes of oncoming drivers.  The owner's refused to do anything about it voluntarily (says he needs it to see the entrance to his drive) and the local highways people are looking into whether there's any legislation that can force it to be relocated.  Doesn't look to be something that;s either easy or straightforward, as far as I can tell.

[Ferdinand]

2 hours ago, JSHarris said:

 

 

I'm peripherally involved with a case where someone has installed a potentially hazardous, very bright, outside floodlight.  It's motion activated, but comes on every time a car drives along the lane, and shines directly into the eyes of oncoming drivers.  The owner's refused to do anything about it voluntarily (says he needs it to see the entrance to his drive) and the local highways people are looking into whether there's any legislation that can force it to be relocated.  Doesn't look to be something that;s either easy or straightforward, as far as I can tell.

 

That brings back memories of an Arthur C Clarke story called Let There Be Light, where a murder was committed by switching on a searchlight targeted at a car as it came round a sharp bend on the moors.

 

Tricky.

 

Statutory Nuisance is impossible as you do not have Quiet Enjoyment of a moving vehicle.

 

The only things I can see would be if there is a neighbour (may not want to complain) or a Civil Injunction under the successor to the ASBO Laws If you have witnesses to being alarmed or distressed. Personally I detest this whole swathe of laws as claims of offence have turned the police into an outsourced harassment service for fake victims. But it is there and there are options not limiting it to a place of residence. Would need the Police, an LA or Env Health to do the injunction.

 

THen it is down to creatives such as having a Traffic Officer drive through at an appropriate time, get dazzled, and visit the doorstep to offer words of advice.

 

It doesn’t happen to be on a pole requiring PP for the pole?

 

F 

 

Edited August 28, 2019 by Ferdinand

[Jeremy Harris]

Unfortunately the light is fixed to a stone wall at the entrance to the drive.  The problem is that there's a bend in the lane, so the light shines directly at any oncoming vehicle when it comes on.  I suspect it's only a matter of time before someone loses control from being blinded and drives into the wall.  That may end up being the thing that gets the light removed.

[Onoff]

2 hours ago, JSHarris said:

 

 

I'm peripherally involved with a case where someone has installed a potentially hazardous, very bright, outside floodlight.  It's motion activated, but comes on every time a car drives along the lane, and shines directly into the eyes of oncoming drivers.  The owner's refused to do anything about it voluntarily (says he needs it to see the entrance to his drive) and the local highways people are looking into whether there's any legislation that can force it to be relocated.  Doesn't look to be something that;s either easy or straightforward, as far as I can tell.

 

Air rifle time I reckon.