Millfield School Glastonbury sports lighting proposals

Project Description

Working on behalf of Millfield School alongside Clive Miller Planning Ltd, we prepared accurate night time verified views to demonstrate how proposed night-time floodlighting would sit within the wider landscape around Glastonbury Tor. We were commissioned to prepare verified views and panoramic imagery to support assessment by the Local Planning Authority. The school’s proximity to Glastonbury Tor, a Scheduled Monument and widely visited landmark, meant the visual  needed to reflect the distinctive elevated vantage point of St Michael’s Tower. Our role focused on preparing accurate night‑time visualisations using photography captured during a new moon to avoid unnecessary skyglow. Glastonbury Tor is a well-known landmark in the mythical “Isle of Avalon”

Night‑time conditions from Glastonbury Tor

The challenge centred on illustrating new sports lighting within a nationally recognised landscape. Glastonbury Tor’s summit provides a 360-degree view across the Somerset Levels, meaning any new luminaires would be compared directly with existing settlement and sports lighting. Night‑time representation required careful control of exposure, humidity and moon phase to meet recognised guidance. The setting of St Michael’s Tower required both the photography and modelling to be clear, neutral, and technically robust.

Photographic methods

Following recognised night‑time visualisation guidance (See Appendix 5 – Night-time Photography in the LI Technical Guidance Note 06/19) , we created a photographic baseline during a new moon phase to avoid unintended sky illumination. Glastonbury Tor’s elevation made camera levelling essential to maintain horizon accuracy suitable for panoramic stitching. To accord with best practice, we photographed the view at regular intervals, from daytime, through dusk to full darkness, ensuring accurate comparison with local lighting activated in Glastonbury and Street. A dedicated 53.5-degree planar panorama focused on the pitches provided a detailed verified view consistent with industry standards.

Lighting model calibration and panorama production

We modelled the proposed lighting columns and luminaires using topographic data and lighting manufacturer information. Each luminaire head and using the manufacturers IES file (Illuminating Engineering Society) was positioned to reflect the design specification. The lighting model was aligned with the surveyed pitch layout and matched with a 50mm baseline photograph taken from the south‑west corner of St Michael’s Tower. Rendered outputs were composited onto the night‑time baseline using exposure and white‑balance settings consistent with real‑world camera behaviour. The final outputs included a 270-degree representative panorama and a 53.5-degree verified planar view for planning submission.

Planning Assessment

The verified views supported consideration of how the proposed lighting relates to existing night-time conditions across Glastonbury, Street and the Somerset Levels. For the Local Planning Authority, the imagery illustrated the relative prominence of the lighting when viewed from the Scheduled Monument. The panoramic material helped communicate the relationship between the school, the town and the wider ridge line. Millfield School used the visualisations to support engagement with advisers during the planning process.

Planning outcome and project conclusion

Planning permission was granted in November 2025. The verified views provide a consistent reference alongside the manufacturer’s technical material. The project demonstrates the importance of accurate night‑time visualisation for sensitive viewpoints such as Glastonbury Tor. “Millfield school were delighted with what we produced for them and it certainly was instrumental in achieving the permission.” – Millfield School.

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