Plan submitted to upgrade antennas on historic Wakefield water tower to boost town’s 5G coverage

The scheme involves replacing telecommunications equipment already in place the century-old Gawthorpe Water Tower.

Cornerstone, a mobile infrastructure service services company, said the work was required to ensure residents in Ossett have access to the latest technology.

The Grade II listed tower was built between 1922 and 1928 but has not been used for water storage since 2006.

The 55m-high structure, on Chidswell Lane, has been used as a host for telecommunications equipment since 1996.

A letter from the company to Wakefield Council said: “The operator is proposing to upgrade their existing installation to ensure the latest high quality, reliable, secure communications technology is able to be provided from this location.

“The amendments to the existing scheme are essential in order that customers’ hand-held devices continue to operate for the purposes in which they have become accustomed, accessible wherever they are, whether that be indoors or outside.”

A heritage statement has been submitted with the application to assess the impact of the work on the historic building.

The document says its architectural significance stems from its “strikingly elegant neoclassical design.”

Made from reinforced concrete, it was first listed by Historic England in December 2020 following a campaign by local residents.

The statement said: “As a prominent landmark, it makes a strong architectural statement, reflecting civic pride, and compares favourably with other listed water towers nationally as a distinguished example of a municipal water tower.

“The tower’s historic interest lies in its role as a physical reminder of the significant advancements in health and sanitation during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, as well as developments in public water supply provision.”

The site’s history goes back to the 1876s when a reservoir was built at Gawthorpe as there was no public water supply in Ossett and private wells were inadequate and heavily polluted.

An Act of Parliament in 1922 enabled construction of a waterworks at the former Pildacre Colliery.

The water was drawn up from the mine and pumped from the waterworks to the tower by two engines, fondly known by locals as Maud and Edith.

The statement said the proposed work would result in “less than substantial harm” to the tower and be similar to equipment already in place.