The City of London Corporation is proposing a new Lighting Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) that could see London’s famous skyscrapers and other landmarks dimming or switching off their lights overnight in a bid to conserve energy. The SPD will provide guidance to developers on the design, delivery, operation, and maintenance of artificial lighting in the City of London, which covers the major trading and finance hub around the 1.12 square miles known as the Square Mile.
The proposals could see 30 Saint Mary’s Axe (The Gherkin), The Fenchurch Building (The Walkie Talkie) and other famous landmarks lower their lighting in the evening. The City proposes the creation of three types of ‘brightness zones’ with slightly earlier curfews set at 10pm for residential and heritage areas, 11pm for cultural and tourist areas, and midnight for commercial, retail, and transport hubs. Existing buildings would be ‘encouraged’ to adopt the new plans and sign up to a voluntary charter to improve lighting amid the local authority’s aim for the Square Mile to reach carbon net zero by 2040.
The consultation runs until Friday, February 17 and City of London Corporation planning and transportation committee chairman Shravan Joshi says: ‘The strategy laid out in this document is aimed at ensuring an intelligent, sensitive approach to lighting which ensures the City is safe and accessible, while protecting its historic character and the amenity of our residents.’
The SPD also covers the installation of red safety lights that would remain on overnight to ensure public safety. Along with providing advice on lighting buildings, streets, and places, the City of London Corporation is also taking steps to tackle air pollution in the Square Mile, including closing certain roads and developing a one-way system near Bank station.
