When MMA Lighting Consultancy Ltd are successful and win a job whether it be a S38 or a S278 lighting scheme we always look to the local authority in the area we have been commissioned to produce a lighting design. The reason we do this is that to produce a lighting design which can be adopted by the relevant local authority, this is a huge consideration for both Direction and Brief, a recipe for success in lighting and the client/developer.
What do we ask for from the Local authority?
The latest lighting developer specification for the local authority, this is due to all local authority’s having a bespoke lighting specification across the country. This document is updated by the local authority fairly regularly and with the speed of lighting technology within the industry it’s always beneficial to receive the up to date lighting developer specification. The document will also be a useful guide for the commissioned design engineer to use during the design process and for the contractor when installing the scheme.
We also ask the local authority for a “scheme brief” for the scheme that has been commissioned; this document ideally will specify the column height, finish/colour of the column, Lantern type, lantern light source, lantern finish/colour, lighting class and any other specific requests for the scheme. Why we ask for this information is that the local authority know the local area usually better than a consultant, this is not always the case but is certainly a consideration. Also some areas around the country are designated “heritage” areas and may require specialised equipment such as cast columns and Victorian style lanterns.
If the scheme is a traffic route we would also look to access traffic flow charts/counts from the local authority, these are carried out by local authorities for the commission of new highways or highways improvements. This information is key in many cases to evaluate the lighting class of the scheme or to provide evidence of the lighting class.
Taking into account all of the above MMA Lighting Consultancy also use information from the client/developer to ensure a successful lighting design is produced (I’m sure I will outline these in a blog in the near future). Also MMA lighting consultants work to industry best practice and standards to ensure the scheme conforms and is buildable safely and correctly.