Dr David Crook, his wife, Liz Crook, and Terry Thomas, all from Dunedin, have holiday homes at Bannockburn.
Mr Thomas told the hearing he was an astronomer and enjoyed the dark skies of Central Otago and lights erected in a new subdivision nearby would impinge on his ability to enjoy the dark.
Dr and Mrs Crook agreed.
"At Bannockburn, there are no lights needed and we have amazing views of stars. It is a rural community and we often go out walking at night and just carry a torch," Dr Crook said.
Cr Tony Lepper said the submission was a good reminder about zones between urban and rural and it was the first time anyone had brought up the issue of street lighting.
It was the first time anyone had made a submission asking for a reduction in standards Dr Macpherson said.
That comment was picked up by the Crooks, who argued it was actually an improvement which would reduce light pollution in the rural area.
Both the Crooks and Mr Thomas had signed an agreement for the subdivision and there had been no mention of streetlights in the application.
They did not find out until the contractors came on site for the earthworks and roading, and the streetlights were erected.
Cr Gordon Stewart said developers did not require a hearing as they developed subdivisions under the council's district plan and normal streetlights were included in the engineering designs.
If developers wanted to use smaller lights, such as bollards, that would have to go to a hearing.
