McCann’s design team supports planning applications through lighting impact assessments across 5 areas of the UK

In addition to conventional lighting design, McCann’s design team regularly produce lighting impact assessments, undertaking compliance checks for existing and proposed exterior lighting installations and undertaking 3rd party design reviews for proposed installations referencing current lighting and electrical design standards.

Lighting impact assessments are detailed evaluations of how artificial lighting from a proposed or existing development may affect the surrounding area. The production of these lighting impact assessments is typically to support successful planning approvals or to discharge planning conditions for our clients.

Our lighting impact assessment services are consistently trusted by local authorities, developers, architects, and environmental consultants across the UK.

Lighting Impact Assessments for Biodiversity

If a site is located where wildlife is present, especially bats, your planning application is typically more likely to gain approval if it is supported by a lighting design strategy that focuses on bat-friendly or biodiversity-sensitive solutions. The lighting assessments or designs demonstrate that the light spill from artificial lighting has been mitigated.

In recent years, we have produced lighting impact assessments and lighting design proposals where lighting has been a potentially significant issue when it comes to biodiversity and the environment. Examples of where we have developed bespoke lighting design proposals are outlined below:

Car Parking, Meltham Mills Industrial Estate, Huddersfield:

Partnering with a developer concerning a proposed nursery and car park, our team developed a required ‘Lighting Design Strategy for Biodiversity’ for bats and the site in general. We produced a strategy document and reference lighting design for a successful planning approval.

Pub Conversion, Derby:

Our expert design team produced a lighting impact assessment designed to mitigate planning conditions for the conversion of an existing public house into a single-storey commercial property with flats above. Considerations had to be made for the adjacent River Derwent, which had been identified as a foraging corridor for bats, alongside planning conditions to minimise glare for road users on adjacent roads.

Day and Nighttime Impacts

Whether supporting applications or addressing local objections, McCann excels at comprehensive day and night-time lighting assessments that consider the full 24-hour impact of artificial lighting.

High Mast Lighting, North-East Lincolnshire:

To mitigate concerns from residents, we undertook a daytime and nighttime lighting impact assessment for a new high-mast light installation designed to illuminate a car-holding apron. We produced a technical report outlining our recommendations for submission to the local planning authority.

Distribution Centre, Essex:

Due to an extension of the operational area of a distribution centre, a daytime and nighttime assessment was undertaken to support a planning application. This included a visual inspection of the existing lighting installation, light level measurements and photographs. A full report was produced, detailing the additional lighting required to bring the existing installation up to current lighting standards, as well as any additional lighting needed to illuminate the extended area.

Third-Party Lighting Reviews

Our impartial expertise is often called upon for third-party lighting reviews, especially in scenarios involving planning disputes or resident concerns.

Tennis Club Planning Application, Whitley Bay:

This project required a third-party, independent planning application review prior to the installation of additional floodlighting at a tennis club. The planning authority had approved the application; however, residents had raised concerns and commissioned their own lighting professional to support their objections.

McCann’s lighting impact assessments combine rigorous technical methodology with planning and environmental sensitivity. Whether supporting biodiversity, addressing resident concerns, or enabling infrastructure improvements, our lighting reports are trusted tools in securing planning application success. From high-mast industrial lighting to local developments, our expertise continues to help clients navigate complex planning landscapes with confidence.