Telford football matches could be plunged into darkness if this change is not made, planners told

Floodlighting restrictions at a Telford football club risk evening cup matches being plunged into darkness if they go into extra time, planners have been told.

So Dawley Town FC has applied to have the 18 LED hydraulic floodlights on for half an hour longer as the darker evenings loom in October.

The club at Quarry Place, Dawley, was given permission for the 15m 'rise and lower' columns earlier this year.

But planners imposed a condition which told the club that it must switch off the lights by 9.30pm.

The Shropshire Star publishes public notices from across the county, which are also available online through the Public Notice Portal here: https://publicnoticeportal.uk/shropshire-star.

The condition was a balance between what the club wanted and to protect bats and the "welfare of other local wildlife and the amenities of local residents."

Now the club has told planners at Telford & Wrekin Council that it is a requirement of its league for the restriction to be "set at 10pm."

The club has told planners that based on the current time limit any cup matches that went into extra time/penalties would still be playing at 9.30pm.

The club has proposed a condition that restricts the lighting up from 6pm to 10pm Monday to Friday, 3pm to 7pm at weekends and bank holidays.

They have proposed no change to restricting the lights to being switched off at 8pm between the months of April and September.

Planning officials at the council will decide the issue following a consultation.

The details of the plan are on the council's planning website with the reference TWC/2026/0120.