Turf Moor go-ahead to increase height of floodlights by 11m

The application to increase the height of the towers from 33 metres to 44 metres was approved at Burnley Borough Council’s Development Control Committee on Thursday.

Concerns were raised about potential “light nuisance” as well as the visual impact on residents.

A member of the council’s Environmental Health office suggested that the increase of light spill from the elevated floodlights may cause a danger to traffic travelling towards the floodlights.

Accordingly, they suggested that Lancashire County Council Highways were consulted before construction begins.

And members of the Burnley Civic Trust were worried about the visual impact on residents.

“We believe that the proposed increased height would be visually unacceptable and it would have an adverse effect on those who live around the ground,” said a spokesperson for the group.

However, a report placed before the Council’s Development Control Committee suggested the visual impact of the application would be minimal.

“I do not consider that the increase in the height of the masts by 11m will have a significant or detrimental visual impact ,” it read.

“The floodlights will be seen in the context of the already large football ground and as such would not be considered as dominant or visually overbearing.”

Despite concerns, construction will go ahead within three years of the decision and on the basis that there are no adverse comments received from the Highways Authority.

Burnley Football Club, eyeing a return to the top flight next season, would have to make the changes to the floodlights in the Bob Lord Stand in Harry Potts Way to meet Premier League specifications released in 2014.

The current system is compliant with the Football Championship, but not with the Premier League.

The League believe clubs meeting their floodlighting specifications would enhance the quality and uniformity of their television broadcast.

The club has engaged Musco Lighting Europe Ltd - who installed their existing floodlighting system in 1996 - to design the new system.

Musco propose using LED lights, which would give the club greater control over the floodlights, including dimming capacity.

It is believed this will minimise the glare of the lights in the surrounding area.

The Highways Authority are still to comment on the impact on drivers.