Dark Night Skies

The AONB Partnership has recognised the significance of Light Pollution within the AONB. Two national datasets showing light pollution are available from 1993 and 2000 which demonstrate the spread of light pollution across the AONB and the general loss of dark night skies. These images can be viewed on the CPRE Website.

Contributory factors to light pollution are street and highway lighting, and the sideways and upward dispersion of light from a variety of sources. The latter can be tackled through the use of properly shielded modern light fittings and the AONB regularly advise on their use when commenting on planning applications. In connection with highway lights we seek to influence the highway authorities' asset management and replacement plans to include light units that minimise pollution. That includes encouraging the use of "natural" light rather than the all too frequent orange sodium lights.

In 2007, we commissioned a report on Light Pollution in the AONB, which can be viewed below:

Light Pollution Study June 2007 (PDF, 7Mb)