Pitsford and Sywell Parish Council, Northampton

Faced with legacy lighting, largely fitted with low pressure sodium (SOX) lamps, that were expensive to run and out of date, and having been advised by the lighting maintenance provider that the lamps were no longer available which meant if a streetlight failed, it could not be repaired, the Councils were forced to look at alternatives.

One Council secured a Salix loan and made the decision to upgrade to energy- and cost-efficient LEDs throughout the village as a single project. In Pitsford, one of the biggest challenges was finding a luminaire that was aesthetic and suitable for a conservation area. In Sywell, there were also four heritage-style lanterns and finding a solution to retain rather than replace was key.

Zeta provided 33 SmartScape Nano streetlights to replace the legacy SOX lights in Pitsford village and 43 Nanos were installed in Sywell. The SmartScape Nano utilises UV-resistant, robust, silicon lens technology which ensures excellent transparency and high optical efficiency, and the LEDs deliver superior illumination and improved colour rendering.

Zeta’s SmartScape Heritage retrofit solution, enabled the Councils to retain the four existing Heritage-style lanterns in Sywell, whilst still achieving the energy, cost and maintenance savings that LED technology delivers. Four Zeta LED Flood Lights were also provided to illuminate the Church at Sywell.

Zeta’s solution met all of the Parish Councils purchasing criteria – efficiency, price and style of lamp.

Having had experience replacing streetlights in the past, the Councils had struggled to find a modern LED solution that was suitable for all areas. As Pitsford has a conservation area, this made the style of lamp a key factor in the decision-making process. Compact and aesthetically pleasing, the SmartScape Nano was deemed ideal for both the new and older areas of the villages. Additionally as one of the lightest in its class, it is quick and easy to install and doesn’t place unnecessary strain on existing ageing posts.

LEDs provide superior illumination and improved colour rendering than traditional street lighting technologies. Feedback from residents has been extremely positive, with some commenting they no longer have orange light spilling into their bedrooms.

The older part of Sywell featured four heritage lanterns which the Parish Council wanted to retain. The SmartScape Heritage’s intelligent design means that the LED gear trays can be engineered to fit any shape or size lantern, and as a UK manufacturer, Zeta was able to build a bespoke solution and simply retrofit the existing lanterns with the modern, energy-efficient LEDs.

LEDs consume up to 70 per cent less power than conventional technologies and also reduce carbon emissions at the same level, meaning the Council is benefitting from lower energy bills as well as minimising their environmental impact. Additionally as maintenance is no longer required, the Councils are also realising a saving of £350 per quarter on maintenance bills.

In Sywell, in particular, understanding the overall cost of the project was critical. With the project being funded via a Salix loan, any additional costs had to be known upfront. Zeta conducted comprehensive site surveys to ensure all broke brackets, connectors, or problems with lamp posts were documented in advance, providing an accurate quote for all works required.

We had three key criteria - efficiency, price and style of lamp and we didn't expect to achieve all three with one provider. With funding secured via Salix, our costs needed to be accurate and it was key to avoid any shocks. Zeta spent time and effort pre-installation and conducted two comprehensive site surveys, ensuring we were fully appraised of exactly what work needed to be done, eliminating the risk of additional problems cropping up which would incur additional costs.
Maureen Holliday, Parish Clerk - Pitsford and Sywell Parish Council