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Plans to protect dark skies across the Highlands

Highland Council is considering new guidance designed to reduce light pollution and protect views of the night sky.

The council says the Highlands has some of the darkest skies in Europe, making the area popular with stargazers.

The proposed guidance would also bring other benefits of using less outdoor lighting, including lower energy bills, reduced carbon emissions and less disruption to wildlife.

Major developments in or close to dark sky sites could be asked to provide a lighting assessment, explaining why outdoor lighting is needed and how its impact could be reduced.

Councillors are due to consider the draft guidance this week.

If approved, it would then go out to public consultation before a final version is prepared.

The guidance could eventually be included in the Highland Local Development Plan, which is expected to be published next year.

That plan will identify areas where new housing and other development could take place.

The council says outdoor lighting should be limited to what is needed for safety and security.

The Isle of Rum became Scotland’s first International Dark Sky Sanctuary in 2024.

The status was awarded by DarkSky International.