Council to consider extending dark skies conservation in North Yorkshire

A meeting of North Yorkshire Council’s executive heard alongside dark skies zones in the Yorkshire Dales and North York Moors national parks and one covering Nidderdale National Landscape, calls to combat light pollution in the Howardian Hills National Landscape or even across the whole of the county.

The meeting saw leading members of the authority agree to adopt a supplement to the Harrogate Local Plan development blueprint, which will see new guidelines used as leading consideration in the determination of planning applications in the 233sq mile designated area in Nidderdale.

The move sets out a zoning scheme that provides greater levels of protection to the darkest parts of the National Landscape, provides practical advice on the design of appropriate lighting schemes and explains when and how lighting design schemes are needed.

The decision means that with national parks covering about 40 per cent of the county, residents across a vast area will receive help and guidance for projects involving external lighting.

Executive member for open to business, Councillor Derek Bastiman, said: “I would hope in approving this we go forward and hopefully we have a dark skies centre similar to the one in Northumberland, which in itself is a very big tourist attraction.”

When asked if he would consider a similar area of protection for the 79sq mile Howardian Hills National Landscape, Coun Bastiman said he would be “more than happy to explore” the issue.

Culture, arts and housing executive member Councillor Simon Myers added he couldn’t think of any reason why the authority would not try to protect the area’s “wonderful natural resources”.

He added: “It would be nice to have it across North Yorkshire.”

experienced astronomer based in the North of England. Enthusiastic in outreach, Richard delivers astronomy events across the region in support of numerous locations and organisations.

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Richard Darn, who helped the Northumberland, Yorkshire Dales and North York Moors national parks achieve dark sky status with the International Dark-Sky Association, said the two North Yorkshire National Landscape areas were as dark as many parts of the national parks.

Mr Darn said while there were very few laws regarding light pollution in the UK, “a mass of data” had been recently collected about the quality of the dark skies in Nidderdale and the Howardian Hills, meaning improvements and deteriorations in light pollution could be tracked.

He said as part of efforts to improve dark skies in the Howardian Hills, the body managing the National Landscape had recently staged numerous roadshows which had proved popular with residents.

Mr Darn said: “Nobody is going to come down your street and tell you to turn the lights off. There’s no legal power to do that. This is about better quality lighting.

“Given the fact that we are losing the night sky at an increasing rate across the world because of the amount we use in the environment these places become ever more precious.

“Gaining supplementary guidance to planning is just one string in a bow that’s trying to protect the night from being needlessly degraded. It’s not just because we want to see the stars, although that is beautiful, it’s about wildlife, tranquility and people getting a meaningful rest in very rural areas.”