A second towering TV mast could be on the way to Emley .

But it will only be a temporary structure to allow for essential work on transmitting equipment housed on the iconic concrete mast.

Broadcasting company Arqiva, who own the 330m tall mast known as Arqiva Tower, have applied to Kirklees Council for planning permission to site the temporary mast on land off Jagger Lane, Emley.

Plans for a new temporary mast at Emley Moor

It will be a metal structure supported by dozens of steel cables and will rise to 310m - just a little short of its “big brother”.

The company say the mast is needed so that vital technical work can be carried out on the broadcasting antennae housed on the main mast.

It could be a feature of the local landscape for years and is expected to take many weeks to construct.

The Emley Moor mast is a main transmitter station for TV and radio programmes and serves some 1.7m households.

Reporter Lauren Ballinger's trip up Emley Moor mast

Video Loading

The antennae at the top of the mast are used to broadcast terrestial television but sweeping changes to the technology used to do so means that extensive work is needed on them.

Technicians have to carry out work on the antennae but the company has to maintain broadcasting while the engineering work under the 700MHz project is under way.

The scheme, taking place across the UK, is to free up space for further electronic communications, notably 4G mobile phone services.

A spokesman for Arqiva said: “It is a necessary requirement of the 700MHz project that existing terrestrial television services are not interrupted by the works to the antennnae.

Emley Moor mast timelapse

Video Loading

“Arqiva must maintain broadcast services on a 24-hour basis, 365 days a year and the work must be done in a way that does not interfere with those public broadcast services.

“In order to minimise interruption it will be necessary to erect a temporary mast near to the existing site which will be used to broadcast terrestrial television services while the antennae works are going on.

READ MORE: Police still trying to identify third body found in waterways in less than two weeks

WATCH: Nags Head at Ainley Top reopens after £500,000 refurbishment

“The TV or set top box in people’s homes decodes a digital signal to create the picture and these are sensitive to the quality of the signal they receive,

“This means the existing antennae cannot be simply be powered down and a temporary mast is needed”.

The proposed mast is located close to the existing giant mast so that transmitting equipment can be used for both.

It also needs to be close as viewers’ aerials point in that direction.

FACTFILE

The existing mast towers 330.4m above the fields of Emley

It is the tallest freestanding structure in the UK

And it’s the 24th tallest tower in the world

It was built to replace a previous mast which was brought down by high winds and ice in March 1969

A lift inside the tower takes seven minutes to reach the top