Exterior lighting at a controversial housing development in Bracknell have been described as ‘the best of a bad world.’ 

A total of 25 five metre high galvanised steel street light columns and 1.5 metre high low-level lighting bollards will be installed at a site on Tilehurst Road in Binfield, having been approved at a recent planning committee meeting. 

The submission was deemed to have complied with specific requirements that the installations provide adequate lighting on the nearby highway and consist of low lighting to protect local biodiversity – specifically regarding bats. 

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The lighting proposal was a conditional application relating to the approved development of 53 new houses being developed in the area. The development was initially rejected by the committee due to the rural nature of the site but was waived through on appeal. 

The chair of the planning committee, Councillor Colin Dudley, said: “I think this is the best of a bad world as we would like to have seen this application turned down, but the planning inspector thought otherwise and therefore, we have to go with it. 

“The lighting plan is very sympathetic.” 

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The columns will be grey LED lanterns fitted with rear guards to limit light spill. The spill would be considered intrusive at two lux – with one lux considered to be the same as full moon light – which the plan assures does not occur in any instance on the scheme. 

The 1.5 metre high dark grey galvanised steel bollards will be triggered by light sensors and will also incorporate shields to reduce light spill for compliance with the biodiversity provision. 

All lighting will be electronically dimmable by a central management system to allow the level to be adjusted throughout the night and early morning. 

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Only one councillor refused to support the proposal, Cllr Tony Virgo, who said: “This application has come before this committee partly because [the previous committee] said no because it is in a rural area and it wasn’t suitable [nor] appropriate. 

“Now we are going to put 25 galvanised steel streetlights in it. You go from the sublime to the ridiculous. It would be a travesty of my head to support this.” 

Another councillor suggested that alternative ways of achieving lighting requirements should be looked at ahead of future applications. 

Councillor Dr Gareth Barnard said: “Given what I am about to say I’ll indicate first that I will be supporting this […] If we are saying that we are going to have to have five metre high columns with lights on them in semi-rural areas, maybe that’s something we need to think about to see if there are other solutions.”