Perth’s Town of Cambridge Council has ordered the Holy Spirit Church in the suburb of City Beach to switch off its brightly glowing 5.6 metre cross at night.
The cross has been a shining light in the neighbourhood from 6pm to 7am for nearly a year because the church was unaware it needed council permission to turn on the powerful LED lights.
Now the council has ordered that the cross stay dark after complaints from six neighbours.
One complainant said the brightness disturbed them even from behind blackout blinds.
Another claimed the light shone into their backyard and bedroom and hurt their ‘amenity’ — a term planners use for the comfort and character of a residential area.
COUNCIL DECIDES TO KEEP THE CROSS, TURN OFF THE LIGHTS
The council had earlier written to 35 of the church’s neighbours inviting comment.
It’s unclear whether the 29 who didn’t formally complain, approved of the glowing cross.
A council report backed keeping the cross in place without any lighting.
It found the illumination was clearly visible from nearby homes and public areas at night and also judged that this constituted an unreasonable impact on ‘amenity.’
The light did not suit a low-density residential area, according to the report.
COUNCIL, COMMUNITY DIVIDED OVER BRIGHTLY SHINING CROSS
The church told the council that a dimmable driver could bring the intensity of the LED lights down to as low as 1%.
The council countered that the church had supplied no amended plan or detail to show what such a change would involve, or whether it would ease residents’ concerns.
Councillor Xavier Carr who attended the adjacent Holy Spirit Primary School and sometimes went to Mass at the church, claimed some residents living close by wanted the lit cross to remain.
He said many people he had spoken to regarded the cross as a symbol of joy and comfort and of Jesus’ love and redemption.
Mayor Gary Mack suggested the church discuss with council officers what would be needed to win approval, should it wish to turn the lights back on.
CHURCH TO SEEK A COMPROMISE SOLUTION
The church said it could readily find a far larger number of residents from all walks of life in City Beach who drew comfort and joy at night from the sight of the lit cross.
The parish called the illumination “The Loving Light of Christ” and the “greatest of treasures” for people in the Town of Cambridge and beyond.
The church also sought to defuse the complaints.
It said it had never meant to upset any neighbours and could certainly reduce the illumination.
The parish has approached the electrician who fitted the LED lighting to ask whether the brightness could be lowered.
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