The Burtons Building, where McDonald's is based on Old Market; the Mecca Bingo hall on Broad Street; Pennine Housing's Bull Green House at Bull Green; and the Yorkshire Bank on Waterhouse Street are to be considered for listed building status by English Heritage.

It would mean the four – all constructed in the 1930s in an art deco style – could not be altered or pulled down without special permission.

John Hargreaves, chairman of Halifax Civic Trust, which has submitted the idea to English Heritage, said: "Halifax is renowned for its beautiful Georgian and Victorian architecture but we should not forget the town is also home to buildings from other periods, which are of vast importance too.

"The Burtons Building, for instance, has some decorative carved elephants on it which really show the flair of its design and Bull Green House is very much of its time.

"They all add to the townscape we have and making sure they are not spoiled is important," he said.

The four buildings will now be researched by English Heritage.

A spokeswoman said: "Now these buildings have been submitted we will look to see they meet the criteria required to be a listed and, if so, we will investigate if they are of such architectural importance they deserve to be listed.

"The results of the investigation will then be passed on to the Government's Department for Culture, Media and Sport which has the final say."

She said there was no timescale for when a final decision could be made.