PROTESTORS have blasted new floodlights at Lord's for shedding dazzling light into their St John's Wood homes.

Four floodlights, standing at almost 48 metres when fully extended, were installed to allow the St John's Wood Road-based cricket ground to host evening matches.

Angry residents say their homes were plagued by bright lights during the first match to use the new floodlights, at Twenty20 cricket match held last Wednesday(27) evening.

Andrew Mainz(COR), chairman of the St John's Wood Society, said: "We're not at all happy about the floodlights and we're concerned about the impact on the local area.

"There are a few people who are very badly affected, some of the lights were shining directly into people's homes. It is a real burden to have this in your back yard."

Westminster Council gave permission for the floodlights in January, to allow the ground to host major one-day and Twenty20 day/night matches over the next five years.

Conditions imposed on planning consent include that the lights will only be used for up to 12 matches and four practice matches during a cricket season, from April to September.

The lights must be dimmed to half-strength at 9.50pm and be switched off by 11pm.

MCC assistant secretary John Stephenson defended the floodlights, saying they are a massive improvement on temporary facilities used in 2007 and 2008.

He added: "This is an integral part of our overall vision of improving Lord's for future generations of cricketers, members and cricket fans and safeguarding its position as the Home of Cricket.

"There are only four floodlights as opposed to six, with head-frames specifically designed to complement the Investec(COR) Media Centre, each set on a single circular column.

"The location of these floodlights was chosen following detailed modelling to ascertain the position that would create the best conditions for cricket and have the least possible impact on the local amenity.

"The floodlights are also retractable, at full height they're 47.8 metres and in retractable mode they're 29.6 metres, meaning considerably reduced impact on the local area compared with the lights used in 2007 and 2008.

"The floodlights will be retracted between each game and from the end of September to the start of April each year the head-frames will be removed and stored.

"The design of the floodlights therefore has the minimal possible impact for local residents, complements the cricket ground's architecture and works for the players, spectators and broadcasters."

At the time of giving planning permission, Westminster Council's planning committee chairman Cllr Steve Summers said: "Our conditions provide a good balance between protecting our residents and ensuring Lord's remains the home of cricket."

John Walker, Westminster Council's head of development planning services, said: "When our planning committee granted planning permission for these lights in January 2009 they imposed rigorous conditions on the applicants to restrict light pollution to adjoining residents, as well as limiting their use to 16 matches during the summer months, with the assurance they would be turned off by 11 pm which the applicants were happy to agree to.

"However early testing of the lights demonstrated there are still problems of light spillage and we are working with Lords to resolve the matter."