Listed building consent has been granted to install LED lights and remove damaged strips at the top of Blackpool Tower.
Blackpool Council has approved an application to remove the old lightbulbs on the Tower’s crow’s nest and replace them with new LED lights. The plans include a greater number of luminaires to better accentuate the top of the Tower when illuminated.
The job will include removing the remaining thin steel plates used for the lighting strips. A report prepared by Arup identified these as being badly corroded.
Any cut areas presenting raw unfinished metal will be protected against corrosion as soon as possible to avoid flash rusting. In addition, bare metal will undergo surface preparation using bristle blasting or needle gunning prior to recoating.
It will be finished with layers of paintwork previously approved in previous remedial works.
The project will be undertaken by specialists in this type of work to minimise the risk of damage to adjacent surfaces.
The council did not receive any objections to the refurbishment proposal.
The council said the new light nodes will be installed “in the near future” by local contractor SmartTech Security Ltd, which maintains the whole Tower Illuminations system for the authority.
Built in 1894, the 158m tall Blackpool Tower is a Grade I-listed building and one of England’s iconic seaside landmarks.
Blackpool Council has spent millions of pounds on repairing and conserving the Tower since it took ownership in 2010.
