West Suffolk Council and Haverhill Town Council are entering the final design phase of a Public Realm Lighting Strategy for Haverhill town centre, intended to help residents feel safer and more comfortable after dark. As of 27 January 2026 the councils say the project is moving into its final design stage after community “Night Walks” in late 2025 where residents identified dark spots and places they found unwelcoming.
The councils appointed independent lighting consultancy Studio Dekka to lead the Night Walks and translate resident feedback into technical lighting proposals. The engagement — held in late 2025 with follow-up workshops in January 2026 — focuses on the High Street, Market Square and surrounding routes and aims to go beyond standard LED upgrades to create lighting that feels more inviting for shoppers and families.
The lighting work is part of the Haverhill High Street Enhancement Scheme (launched October 2024) and seeks to support the evening economy by making it easier for people to visit restaurants and Haverhill Arts Centre after 5:00pm. The Heart of Haverhill BID, which represents local businesses, is a partner in the project and is supporting efforts to encourage evening activity.
Alongside improved lighting, the plan includes new wayfinding signage developed with artist Steve Pardue to improve navigation between Jubilee Walk, the High Street and the main car parks. The stated goals are to reflect Haverhill’s local identity, improve perceptions of safety and help reduce anti-social behaviour through better public realm design and lighting.
About this article: This story was put together with the help of AI tools and checked by a real person on our team. We're a small crew trying to cover as much of the UK as we can on a limited budget. We're getting better every day - but we're not perfect yet. If something looks off, let us know. You're part of the process.
