NEW floodlights at a rugby ground in Malvern were approved this week, despite opposition by local residents and a leading dark skies campaigner.

The application by Malvern RFC was for permission to erect six floodlights at its pitch off Sling Lane.

It was opposed by residents of nearby Charles Way because of the potential for increased nuisance. An objection was also received from Malvern astronomer Chris Baddiley, a leading member of the British Astronomical Association's Campaign for Dark Skies.

The campaign is aimed at combating the increase in light pollution, which makes it more difficult to see the stars at night.

However, Malvern Hills District Council's southern area planning committee decided to give the plan the go-ahead on condition that the club does not use the floodlights after 9pm.

The rugby club also has to test out the lights in front of councillors, to ensure they do not allow too much light to spill out.

Dr Baddiley, a scientist at QinetiQ, is also involved with the Night Blight campaign just launched by the Campaign for the Protection of Rural England. The campaign has published photographs of the Midlands region taken by satellites at night, showing how much light pollution has spread over the last few years.

He said he was disappointed the floodlight scheme had been given the go-ahead because the lights chosen were the wrong sort.

"It's a pity because there are plenty of well-designed floodlights which they could have used," he said.

n Dr Baddiley will be filmed by BBC's Countryfile tomorrow (Saturday), for a programme about the growing problem of light pollution, to be broadcast in early June.