Forum Topic

Constant light pollution from new Brentford Stadium

Every evening/night, the sky here around Kew Bridge is a strange soupy yellow -they are using  these lights on the grass at the new stadium apparently. You'd expect lights of course when there was an evening match but this is constant. Is this going to be the New Normal or a temporary thing?

Birna Helgadottir ● 2118d35 Comments

They have been employing these grow-lights at Twickenham stadium for some time - it's obviously now the "in" thing for helping grass pitches to recover. Brentford Stadium of course will have at least one match a week and often two as Brentford F.C. alternate their home games with London Irish rugby team. That's tough on the pitch. I don't know what the science is though. Is light pollution a thing that can be objected to? Probably not.

Bruce Hammal ● 2118d

Was this part of the planning application?

Peter Evans ● 2118d

There will be no escape from the bright orange lights when the occupants of the hundreds of new flats move in.Will prospective buyers be alerted to the glare?

Jim Lawes ● 2118d

Not good, here’s why.https://www.darksky.org/wp-content/uploads/bsk-pdf-manager/IDA-8x11-Health-Brochure_35.pdf

Russell Pearson ● 2118d

Exactly - I don't know if any of this was mentioned in the planning application?

Birna Helgadottir ● 2118d

Seems inconsistent if we are encouraged to turn off unnecessary lights at home and risk tripping down the stairs in the dark when - how many of these lights are there? - are on for hours just to grow grass.

Vivienne Cox ● 2118d

Planning application ? Hounslow Council? made me smile

Maggie Dodge ● 2117d

It was not, as far as I can see, mentioned in any of the consultation documents, although floodlighting for matches was mentioned as a possible problem

Philip Timms ● 2117d

Wait until all the new floodlit pitches open up at the new  commercialised playing fields (opposite the Roko Club).  There is a new road and coach park constructed and of course  the enlarged and modernised Isis Boat Club next to Chiswick Quay in Hartington Road.  The floodlights are already on for long stretches of time illuminating the skies and surrounds of the playing fields actually by Roko itself. No need to visit Blackpool - come see Hartington/Cavendish Rd spectacular (NO cars though, no access for those antiquities).  Sorry feeling grumpy and cold on this grey day.

Jennifer Selig ● 2117d

BirnaYou can try emailing Steven Maunders of LBH's Environmental Team, as excessive bright light is, I believe, considered  Pollution.  Also remember that this lighting wasn't mentioned in the original Planning Application according to an earlier poster.His email address is;-steven.maunders@hounslow.gov.uk Good luck !

Loraine Pemberton ● 2117d

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/light-pollutionI wonder what ecological impact assessment was done re the Hartington Road development.

Russell Pearson ● 2117d

Sod all unless anyone can prove me wrong!

Jennifer Selig ● 2117d

Isn't it inadequate sports stadium architecture that should have inbuilt factors by law drawn into the design which take into account shielding outside communities from noise and light and such stadium pollutions? The consideration for the health of local community health and welfare speaks of lack of knowledge of those within local council's planning departments when impacting structures like stadiums are built within domesticised conurbations.

Bobbie Carnegie ● 2117d

thank you all.Interestingly, Brentford were playing yesterday evening so the grow lights they train on the grass were turned off and it was just the ordinary floodlights on. This was actually much less annoying and intrusive. At three o clock this morning I looked out of the window and the grow lights were back on - it was nearly bright as day. It will be very disturbing for wildlife too I imagine. I will use the email provided and also get in touch with SOGA (the local residents association)I wonder if Twickenham mentioned grow lights in their planning application, and how the local residents around Twickenham feel about it.

Birna Helgadottir ● 2117d

As I understand it many modern stadia have a problem in getting enough light onto the pitch - they tend to be taller and more enclosed than the traditional Victorian football grounds they have replaced. Some of the more prestigious clubs have tried to get around this by having the turf laid on moveable sections so that all the grass can enjoy some time out of the shadows. Others regularly relay the turf. This is why you rarely see a muddy worn-out pitch at top professional level. The use of this grow-lighting  is new - at least to me - and I very much doubt that the impact on the neighbourhood has even crossed any official radar - yet.

Bruce Hammal ● 2117d

The sports grounds in Hartington and Cavenduish Rds,  all around the Roko Club and over into Duke's Meadows will not be suffering shadows thrown by tall buildings - so far we've been spared those - long may that be the case.

Jennifer Selig ● 2117d

This is comparatively new technology but there have already been complaints about other grounds using it, such as:'"Put that light out," plead locals near Brighton’s stadium'.  See:https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/feb/02/brighton-stadium-put-that-light-out-plea-all-night-glowI don't know if their petition succeeded!

Peter Evans ● 2117d

A quick search of LBH's planning application website confirms that there were 2 conditions imposed upon the granting of the planning permission for the stadium development which related to lighting, namely condition 35 (relating to external lighting) and condition 46 (relating to stadium floodlighting).  Applications were subsequently submitted and approved which related to the discharge of both conditions, and the latter condition is likely to be the more relevant one with regard to these concerns.I haven't looked into this any further and nor am I minded to, but hopefully it's of some use to those of you with genuine concerns, unlike the posts from a couple of the usual 'keyboard warriors' having their little pops at the local authority without spending afew minutes of their precious time bothering to do some research before posting.

Adam Beamish ● 2117d

'Disturbing to wildlife'? I've heard black bird's dawn chorusing within dark night's lighting when I've laid my head on my night's pillow. One wonders whether ornithological species fly in and bathe under the warming winter grow-lamps of stadia pecking about hopefully for worms.

Bobbie Carnegie ● 2117d

Adam - thank you so much for this information - how should I look into it further please?

Birna Helgadottir ● 2117d

Grass needs two things to grow, light and temperature (afaik >1 degree).Once the warmer weather and longer days come in, there should be much less use of these lamps, if any.

Richard Cathcart ● 2117d

They could try mirrors in the summer, if the shadows from the seating cause problems.

Vivienne Cox ● 2117d

Birna,The best way is to go to the planning application search at the following address :https://planning-lbhounslow.msappproxy.net/Planning_Search.aspxAnd then type in 00703/A/P11 into the planning reference box, press 'search' and then that should come up with a list of all the applications relating to the stadium development, and amongst that list are discharge applications relating to the 2 conditions I referred to.Hope this helps.

Adam Beamish ● 2117d

Anyone who is directly impacted by such light pollution should make sure that their bedrooms are as blacked out by curtains or blinds as much as possible. https://www.breastcancer.org/risk/factors/light_exp

Russell Pearson ● 2117d

Thank you Adam!

Birna Helgadottir ● 2117d

It would not have mattered if it had been mentioned. Everyone, apart from Brentford supporters and LBH, objected to the development and it still went ahead.I am so glad I managed to sell up (Hearne Rd) in 2019 and move to York. Coincidentally, my new house is opposite York City's ground, and they are about to move to a new stadium. Win-Win!

Lou Valdini ● 2116d

Aaah, thanks for this thread. I live in Acton and have wondered why the sky to the west out of my bathroom window has been glowing orange. That makes sense now. It must be incredibly bright if you live around the stadium if I can see it from Acton.

Tania Bapuji ● 2116d

I should add I'm in North Acton, which is quite a way from Brentford.

Tania Bapuji ● 2116d

Maybe they do this at Wembley Stadium too.

Bruce Hammal ● 2116d

From what I understand, these grass growing light rigs are rolled out onto the pitch and the actual lights are about six feet off the ground. It wouldn't seem too difficult to have a cover over the top of the rig to contain the reflected glow.

Peter Evans ● 2116d

Woke at half midnight.  Thought a light had been left on downstairs.  Went down without having to turn on lights it was that bright.  No lights on but looking out at the garden there was no darkness and all the features were visible.Perhaps there was a full moon but no there was heavy cloud cover and looking west the clouds were were a bright orange glow I live on the eastern side of Chiswick.  There rest of the sky was grey white and no houses were lit up.Definitely light pollution.  I am assuming the orange glow is Brentford and the grey white was reflected street lighting.Something must be done as such lighting pollution will affect our general health and sleep patterns.I thought the recently installed street lights were designed to be dimmed to remove this problem but I have no idea if this is being done.  Brentford is another problem which should have been taken into account when planning permission was sought.  Perhaps they better start saving up to install a roof cover.

Elizabeth Ross ● 2116d

The people of Brighton have started a change.org petition about their light pollution problem:https://www.change.org/p/brighton-and-hove-albion-fc-put-that-light-outMaybe time for Brentford neighbours to do the same.

Peter Evans ● 2116d

There's a formal process whereby local councils can issue an abatement order to stop artificial light pollution:https://www.gov.uk/guidance/artificial-light-nuisances-how-councils-deal-with-complaintsSo over to local councillors to take this up?

Peter Evans ● 2116d

For the want of anything better to do, I just spoke with one of the big stadium grass lighting companies and they agreed that light overspill was a well known problem with these installations but that, depending on the set up, it was possible to install baffles/hoods/covers, though it wasn't that simple as they could restrict the airflow and keep out the rain.

Peter Evans ● 2116d

Poor local Councillors yet another job to be undertaken in addition to Covid, LTN's, unsuitable cycle lanes etc etc. Complaints from their unhappy residents.

Jennifer Selig ● 2116d