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Lamp-post plan for Northern Lights spot opposed

BBC The Leas on the Coast Road at South Shields. There is grass in the foreground and sea in the background with stormy skies above.BBC
The Leas on the Coast Road in South Shields has been a popular spot to see the Northern Lights

More than 1,000 people have signed a petition to block a council's plans to place lamp-posts along a stretch of road popular for viewing the Northern Lights.

Residents living near the Leas nature reserve in South Shields, South Tyneside, have voiced concerns about light pollution on the stretch of the Coast Road.

David Dixon, who started the petition, said: "The damage it would cause to the Leas is huge. We’ve got stunning views here, why would we want to ruin them?"

The street lights are being considered by South Tyneside Council as part of work on the National Cycle Network route which runs along the road.

'Safety reasons'

Mr Dixon said he had watched as the council began putting the 10m (32.8ft) lamp-posts in place "without consulting residents".

The authority said the existing cycleway was "now outdated".

"It is being brought up to standard and lighting is a requirement for safety reasons," a spokesperson said.

Campaigners believe the street light could cause irreversible damage to wildlife living on the Leas and ruin a popular spot to see the Aurora Borealis.

Campaigners stand on the Leas, holding up a sign which asks people to support their petition
Campaigners have been placing signs outside their homes along the coast road

Malcolm Porter, who lives nearby, said he believed "the idea hasn’t been thought out".

"Foxes, bats and insects all reside on the Leas," he said.

"We need to protect them. Light pollution seriously impacts their habitat."

Residents living along the coast road have shown their support for the petition by placing signs at the back of their properties which read "protect our dark skies".

Kim Driver said she had "stunning views" of the aurora.

"We won’t give up our dark skies without a fight," she added.

The council said it had listened to concerns raised by residents and the National Trust and proposed to fit the lights with a shield to reduce glare.

"We’ve arranged for independent reports to be carried out to assess the impact of new lighting on residents, properties, dark skies and wildlife," it said.

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