The council can investigate complaints about outdoor lighting and take action to address incidents which are assessed to be a ‘statutory nuisance’.
The following can cause artificial light nuisance if not maintained or used properly:
- domestic and commercial security lights
- sports facilities, including floodlit football pitches
- decorative lighting of buildings or landscapes
- laser shows and light art
Statutory nuisance laws don’t apply to artificial light from:
- street lights
- airports
- harbours
- railway premises
- tramway premises
- bus stations
- public transport operating centres
- goods vehicle operating centres
- lighthouses
- prisons
- defence premises, including army bases
- premises occupied by visiting armed forces
When looking into complaints about light nuisance, we can assess the following:
- whether it interferes with the use of a property
- how it’s likely to affect the average person (excluding unusual sensitivities)
- how often it happens
- how long it lasts
- when it happens
- the character of the area
There are no set levels of light which constitute a statutory nuisance. Unwanted light shining into your property (sometimes called light trespass) is not considered when assessing nuisance.