MYSTIFIED civic leaders were in the dark over street lights that appeared on a ‘gateway’ into Sidmouth – obscuring a sign welcoming visitors.

Town council chairman Stuart Hughes, also Devon’s highways chief, labelled three lampposts being erected within metres of each other at Stowford Corner as “overkill”.

Councillor Hughes told town council colleagues last week he wants to see a couple of the lights removed.

“The county council is looking at reducing street lighting to cut its carbon emissions and here there are three columns in a 50metre area,” he said.

The lampposts are part of a housing development in Woolbrook Road.

“By all accounts it was part and partial of the planning application. Nobody looks at street lights,” Mr Hughes told the Herald this week.

“I’m tying to get them moved. It’s a bit of overkill.”

Mr Hughes, Devon County Council’s cabinet member for highways and transportation, said an authority engineer told him the lights used energy-saving LED technology, and it was unlikely any would be removed because of the “conflict” of traffic in the area.

He added he hoped to call a site meeting.