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Calderdale Council often lights up the historic 253-feet high Wainhouse Tower at Skircoat Moor Road, Halifax, for events or campaigns, for example marking volunteers’ week, or showing the authority’s support for people of the conflict-hit Ukraine.

As a landmark, it also features on some Calderdale-filmed TV shows and dramas such as Happy Valley and Ackley Bridge.

But the system used is now 20 years old and the council has granted listed building consent to upgrade the lighting.

Lighting up in the night sky – Wainhouse Tower. Picture: Calderdale Council

The approval sees the Grade II* listed 19th century tower’s tech move into the 21st century.

The ageing lighting system illuminates the upper and lower viewing platforms and the tower’s crown.

Installed at the turn of Millennium, it requires manual colour changing, dimming and adjustment of lighting levels.

Replacement equipment will incorporate a colour-changing LED system with a flexible app-based control platform easily allowing different tiers of the tower to be illuminated independently of each other.

Historic Wainhouse Tower dominates the Halifax skyline. Just over 400 steps lead to itys viewing platforms. The landmark folly was completed on 9 September 1875, at a cost of £14,000.

Wainhouse Tower was built between 1871 and 1875 having been commissioned by John Edward Wainhouse, the owner of the nearby Washer Lane Dyeworks.

Designed as a chimney by architect Isaac Booth, the tower aimed to reduce the low-level pollution caused by the dyeworks.

The approved planning application says lights and containment will be placed on lower and upper platforms and dome levels.

The scheme has been designed so as not to block the perimeter walkway at lower level, in order to continue to allow occasional public access, to use the existing locations on the upper level and to improve the quality of lighting of the crown.

A night-time view of lights at the top of Halifax's Wainhouse Tower

Lights on the lower platform will be in a different location to the existing, and fixed to the inner face of the baluster, with one light on each octagonal side of the platform.

Work can be done with minimal effect on the tower’s historic decorative fabric, planners agreed.

Wainhouse Tower is open to the public on some public and bank holidays during the year offering spectacular views over Calderdale and beyond from its lofty heights.

On a clear day from the viewing platform it is said you can see Blackpool Tower across the Pennines.

Lights at Halifax's landmark Wainhouse Tower to get high tech revamp