SPROWSTON TOWN COUNCIL, UK

Across the UK, town and parish councils are looking for practical ways to reduce energy costs while maintaining essential community infrastructure. Street lighting often represents one of the largest opportunities to improve efficiency and lower long-term operating costs.

Sprowston Town Council took a proactive approach through a comprehensive upgrade programme. The scheme covered more than 800 Town Council-owned footway lights across the town. Rather than simply replacing ageing lanterns, the project combined a full condition survey with targeted infrastructure improvements to create a more efficient and resilient lighting network.

Working in collaboration with Electrical Testing Ltd (ETL), CU Phosco supplied 866 E950 LED luminaires for the project, with ETL supporting the wider delivery of the scheme through condition assessment, programme coordination and installation works.

The project began with a full condition survey of the existing lighting stock. Nick Wildsmith, Area Sales Manager at CU Phosco, explains:

"Taking the time to understand the condition of the existing assets was an important part of the project. The survey allowed any structural or electrical issues to be identified before installation, helping the Town Council maximise the value of its investment.

“The E950 combines high efficacy with a long operational life, making it well suited to projects where reducing energy consumption and future maintenance requirements are key priorities.”

The installation programme was delivered in two phases between August and October 2025, with ETL undertaking a full condition survey and the installation works. A central management system formed part of the wider upgrade programme, supporting the Town Council's future management of the lighting network. The E950's compatibility with Telensa CMS nodes was an important consideration, providing the flexibility to introduce part-night dimming and other control strategies in the future should the Town Council wish to pursue additional energy savings and reductions in light pollution.

The completed scheme provides Sprowston Town Council with a modern LED street lighting network while delivering tangible benefits for residents.

Energy consumption is expected to reduce by around 70%, cutting carbon emissions by an estimated 90 tonnes each year. The longer operating life of the E950 luminaires will also reduce routine maintenance requirements compared with the previous sodium lighting.

This translates to a saving of between £60,000 and £70,000 annually, with the investment expected to pay for itself within two to three years.

Matt McDonald, Account Manager at ETL, commented:

"Delivering a project of this scale required detailed planning and careful coordination to minimise disruption for residents while maintaining programme efficiency. Working alongside CU Phosco allowed us to provide a high-quality lighting solution that met the Town Council's objectives and long-term aspirations for the network."