New streetlights planned

TWO schemes aimed at lighting up areas of footpath on the A265 at Heathfield are being considered by parish councillors. Members of the highways, planning and street lighting committee studied a report received from consultants Owen Williams. The report showed two options for a lighting scheme for the stretch of the High Street between the police station and the Horam road junction. The plan is to erect lamps to light up a badly lit area of footpath, rather than put up street lamps that are designed to cover the road. However, the first option received, option A, would cover the road as well as the pavement. But this option would cost around one-and-a-half times that of option B. Members agreed to delay a decision on which scheme to choose until they had sought clarification from Owen Williams on issues such as lamp positioning. Estimate Option A, which was based on specifications originally requested by the parish council, would consist of an eight-metre double armed column outside St Bartholomew s Church, with 13 new five-metre post top columns installed in locations decided by the council. There would also be another new five-metre column to replace on of the existing ones on the site. Another one of the existing lamps would be removed altogether. The consultants estimate to carry out the work, including supervision and inspection, with test certificates issued on completion, is 13,650. Existing Option B is designed specifically for the footpaths and would utilise existing columns where possible and 'standardise the spacing with additional columns . The lanterns would also be changed to whiter high pressure sodium lanterns to improve the quality of the lighting. The two existing eight-metre columns, outside Upper Beeches and opposite Tilsmore Cottage, would be cut down to five metres, while five-metre post top columns would be installed at Meadow Lands, Clarendale, ten metres west of Nursery Way, Rydale and Holmhurst. An eight-metre column would also be installed outside St Bartholomew s Church to light the car park. The cost of this scheme is estimated at 8,245. A parish council spokesman said: 'Once a decision is made, a public consultation process will begin.