Projects
Streetlight upgrade project – Brighter, Safer, Greener
Settle Town Council have recently completed a project to upgrade a selection of its streetlights. The key aims of the project where for the Council to reduce the Town’s light pollution, energy costs, and its Carbon Footprint
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Councillor White showing one of the lights that has been upgraded to LED -
An example of one of the streetlights that required upgrading
The project has seen existing high consumption, traditional streetlights upgraded to LED (Light Emitting Diode) Dark Sky Approved fixtures on a selection of streetlights in Upper Settle and the areas surrounding Castlebergh Crag. These upgrades will contribute to preserving the natural beauty of the Yorkshire Dales National Park (YDNP) by reducing light pollution, minimising energy consumption, and protecting the park’s nocturnal wildlife.
✅ Why LED?
✔ Energy Savings
LEDs use up to 60% less energy than conventional bulbs. This means significant cost savings for our community —money that can be reinvested into other priorities.
✔ Better Lighting Quality
LEDs provide brighter, more focused illumination, improving visibility for drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians. This enhances overall safety on our streets at night.
✔ Environmental Benefits
With a longer lifespan and lower energy use, LEDs help reduce our carbon footprint and contribute to a greener, more sustainable community.
✔ Reduced Maintenance
LED streetlights last 2-3 times longer than traditional lights, meaning fewer disruptions due to maintenance and replacement.
Castlebergh Crag lies within the YDNP. It is an important area of natural beauty, much used by locals and visitors alike for tranquil outdoor recreation. Settle Town Council want to conserve and enhance the natural beauty of this area and encourage and increase wildlife numbers. By changing the current streetlighting to LED dark sky approved lanterns the Council hope to reduce the impact harsh lighting can have and minimise disruption to nocturnal wildlife, including bats, owls, and other species, by using lighting that is less harmful to their habitats and activities.
As part of the Castlebergh Crag masterplan, areas have been set aside to be enhanced to further encourage wildlife (e.g. introduction of bat boxes and hedgehog houses). The management of visitor access to focus footfall to the areas intended primarily for amenity use and concentrating disturbance impacts to certain areas around the site, is being implemented to maximise the biodiversity value of all habitats on site.
This project was made possible by receiving a grant through the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority’s Sustainable Development Fund. The fund provides an accessible source of money for a range of projects that result in positive benefits for the National Park’s environment, economy and communities, while enhancing and conserving local culture, wildlife and landscape. A small amount of ‘match funding’ was also provided by the town council.
The Sustainable Development Fund is now in its 21st year of operation, is open to everyone including community groups, businesses and individuals and has committed over £3.5 million to 476 projects worth £21.3 million in total. For more details, please go to Sustainable Development Fund (SDF) – Yorkshire Dales National Park : Yorkshire Dales National Park
This project is part of a broader initiative to improve energy efficiency and reduce operational costs, and Settle Town Council aims to continue with its streetlight upgrades in other areas of Settle.
