Acrospire delivers Cornwall Council’s county-wide heritage street lighting upgrade

Brief

Across Cornwall, heritage lighting is part of the landscape. From coastal promenades in Penzance and St Ives to historic harbours like Charlestown Harbour and residential streets in Penryn, it plays a role in how places feel after dark, supporting safety while preserving character.

As part of an £18.5 million programme, Cornwall Council set out to upgrade almost all of its street lighting to LED. The project was driven by a combination of factors, including the insolvency of a previous supplier, increasing difficulty sourcing replacement components, and an end-of-life CMS system. At the same time, the transition to LED offered an opportunity to reduce energy consumption, improve control, and futureproof the network.

Within this wider programme, heritage locations required a more considered approach. The aim was not just to replace ageing lanterns, but to retain the visual identity of Cornwall’s towns and coastal environments while delivering a step change in performance.

“The move to LED supports Cornwall Council’s aspiration to become carbon neutral by 2030,” explains Mandy Langdon, Project Manager at Cornwall Council. “It allows us to reduce energy consumption and gives us greater flexibility through dimming and part-night operation.”

Solution

Acrospire supplied a range of heritage luminaires, including Muirfield, Birkdale, and Cornet, providing like-for-like replacements with improved lighting performance and reduced energy usage.

All lanterns were specified at 3000K colour temperature, supporting a warm, appropriate visual appearance across heritage settings while maintaining good visibility. A range of outputs from 14W to 64W was used to suit different locations and lighting requirements across the county.

Many of the lanterns were finished in Jet Black, with a couple of defined areas supplied in Moss Green or Red Wine, depending on the setting, helping each installation integrate with its surroundings and maintain the character of the local environment.

Durability was a key consideration, particularly in Cornwall’s coastal environment where exposure to salt air can impact asset life. Marine-grade finishes were specified to help protect against corrosion and ensure long-term performance.

The lanterns support dimming and part-night switching, allowing Cornwall Council to operate lighting more efficiently without compromising safety. In line with the Council’s environmental commitments, Dark Sky-compliant luminaires were used wherever possible, supporting efforts to reduce light pollution across the county.

Installation presented practical challenges due to variations in existing infrastructure. A mixed stock of 76mm and 89mm columns required a flexible approach and Acrospire supplied adaptor sleeves to allow Muirfield lanterns to be installed across both sizes without the need for additional components. Bracket adaptors were also used where required for pendant fittings, ensuring compatibility with existing assets.

A key factor in product selection was long-term reliability. Acrospire’s 12-year warranty provided additional assurance that the new installations would deliver consistent performance over time, helping to reduce maintenance requirements and support long-term asset management.

“We’ve been working with Acrospire for a few years now and have developed a great working relationship,” says Mandy. “They were keen to keep things simple when it came to ordering and provided designs with a very short turnaround, which helped us stay on track with the timeframe we had.”

“They’ve also supported us in finding solutions to make our varied existing infrastructure work with the new lanterns, supplying adaptors and additional parts quickly where needed. We consulted with them early in the planning stages around CMS compatibility, and that input was really valuable in helping us make the right decisions for the project.”

The upgrade delivers a more efficient and resilient lighting network across Cornwall’s heritage locations. Reduced energy consumption, improved control, and longer-lasting components all contribute to lower maintenance requirements and support the Council’s long-term carbon reduction goals.

Feedback following installation has been largely as expected for like-for-like heritage replacements. In most cases, the upgrades integrate seamlessly into their surroundings, with minimal public comment. Where concerns around light spill have been raised, shielding options have been deployed to fine-tune installations for residential settings.

Delivered in partnership with Enerveo, the project ensures that Cornwall’s streets, harbours and public spaces remain safe, accessible and visually consistent, while being better equipped for the future.