This is almost certainly the first time a UK charitable company has designed such products and placed them on the market. The Covent Garden Lighting Partnership which developed the lanterns was led by the Trust and comprises the London Borough of Camden, the City of Westminster, Historic England, the Mercers' Company and Shaftesbury PLC, with advice from the Corporation of London. Lighting engineers from the three authorities played a key role by analyising issues they encounter with exisiting products so that they could be 'designed out' of the Covent Garden Lantern®.
London Forum: Lighting Conservation Areas – An Illuminating Journey
David Bieda, Chairman of the Seven Dials Trust, tells the story of a unique award-winning lighting partnership between the voluntary, statutory and private sectors (PDF)
The Covent Garden Lighting Partnership and the Lighting Project
For a summary on the Partnership and the Project read this 2015 media release (PDF)
History of Public Lighting
Those with a particular interest can read about the history of public lighting in Westminster (PDF)