Council Permits School’s Outdoor Lighting Despite Resident Objections

Upton Junior School, located in Broadstairs, Kent, has received authorization to continue operating its outdoor lights. Neighbors have characterized these lights as being “like the Blackpool Illuminations.” The school stated that the security lights on its gym building are necessary for health and safety purposes. However, local residents have voiced objections, labeling the lights “totally unnecessary” and expressing concerns about their glare. Thanet District Council (TDC) has granted approval for the lights to remain illuminated until 22:00 daily, with the exception of Sundays, as reported by the Local Democracy Reporting Service. An initial planning condition stipulated that the lights at the building, situated on Edge End Road, should be turned off when not in use or activated by motion sensors. Subsequently, the school submitted an application to TDC requesting permission to keep the lights on until 22:00 six nights per week. Linda Judd, a resident living nearby, informed the Local Democracy Reporting Service that the lights shine directly into her windows at night. She stated, “Blackpool Illuminations – that’s how I describe it,” adding, “They’re very bright and totally unnecessary.” Another resident, Andrew McCulloch, commented that the school had disregarded residents’ concerns and had made “no great effort” to adhere to the original planning condition. In its request to modify the regulations, the school explained that the process of switching the lights on and off had “proved problematic to implement” due to community groups utilizing the building outside of standard school hours. The school sought to revise the conditions, requiring it only to turn off the lights outside of specified permitted hours. These approved hours for illumination will be from 08:00 to 22:00, Monday through Saturday—encompassing periods outside of term time and on bank holidays—and from 09:00 to 20:00 on Sundays.