Category Description

Lighting legislation is made in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (UK) by the local planning authorities (part of the local council) in the relevant local development plans (or unitary development plans (UDP's) as they are now called in the new unitary authorities). These development plans may set down controls on the lighting on buildings before they are built or extended, but planning controls are not retrospective, therefore lights on buildings built or extended before the introduction of lighting legislation are not covered by the legislation.

The local legislation is also based upon national (UK), provincial (e.g.: Wales) and regional (e.g.:Northeast) government planning guidance in the form of planning policy guidelines (PPG's) (called planning policy statements (PPS's) in Northern Ireland and national planning policy guidelines (NPPG's) in Scotland) (which are supplemented by the more in-depth technical advice notes (TAN's) in Wales, development control advice notes (DCAN's) in Northern Ireland or planning policy notes (PAN's) in Scotland). The regional, provincial and national pieces of legislation act as templates for local legislation which may take into account local views or the expected level of pollution or urbanisation in the local areas.

The environmental health departments have no legal powers of control over light pollution though may investigate cases. This means that the problem is best tackled at the planning level.

Please read the description for Society: Issues: Environment: Light Pollution: Regulation for further information.

Also, please read the FAQs and description for Society: Issues: Environment: Light Pollution for general information.

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