Emley Moor transmitting station
Emley Moor transmitting station, officially known as The Arqiva Tower, is a telecommunications and broadcasting facility on Emley Moor, in Kirklees, West Yorkshire.
With a height of 330.4 m (1,084 ft), it is the tallest freestanding structure in the UK, the seventh tallest in the European Union, and the 24th tallest tower in the world. It is 20.8 m taller than The Shard, which is popularly thought to be the tallest structure in the UK.
Designed by Arup, the structure consists of a tapered cylindrical pillar of reinforced concrete, topped by a steel lattice mast carrying 55 m (180 ft) tall antennas.
The current tower is the third such structure to have occupied the site. The original lattice tower was built in 1956 and measured 135 m (443 ft) tall. It was used to broadcast ITV to the Yorkshire area. In 1964, it was replaced by a guyed mast measuring 385.5 m (1,265 ft).
In March 1969, the structure collapsed as a result of strong winds and the weight of ice that had formed around the top of the mast and on the guy wires. The subsequent committee of inquiry blamed the collapse on a form of oscillation which occurred at a low but steady wind speed.
The construction of the current tower was begun in 1969 and was completed in 1971. It is built on foundations which extend 6 m (20 ft) into the ground. A control room at 274 m (900 ft) can be reached by a lift that takes around 7 minutes to ascend.
In 2002, English Heritage (now Historic England) granted the tower Grade II listed building status due to its ‘significant architectural or historic interest’.
In recent years, the tower has had supporting structures attached to accommodate more dishes and aerials, reflecting the changing nature of communications and technology.
[edit] Find out more
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
Featured articles and news
Skills England publishes Sector skills needs assessments
Priority areas relating to the built environment highlighted and described in brief.
BSRIA HVAC Market Watch - May 2025 Edition
Heat Pump Market Outlook: Policy, Performance & Refrigerant Trends for 2025–2028.
Committing to EDI in construction with CIOB
Built Environment professional bodies deepen commitment to EDI with two new signatories: CIAT and CICES.
Government Grenfell progress report at a glance
Line by line recomendation overview, with links to more details.
An engaging and lively review of his professional life.
Sustainable heating for listed buildings
A problem that needs to be approached intelligently.
50th Golden anniversary ECA Edmundson apprentice award
Deadline for entries has been extended to Friday 27 June, so don't miss out!
CIAT at the London Festival of Architecture
Designing for Everyone: Breaking Barriers in Inclusive Architecture.
Mixed reactions to apprenticeship and skills reform 2025
A 'welcome shift' for some and a 'backwards step' for others.
Licensing construction in the UK
As the latest report and proposal to licence builders reaches Parliament.
Building Safety Alliance golden thread guidance
Extensive excel checklist of information with guidance document freely accessible.
Fair Payment Code and other payment initiatives
For fair and late payments, need to work together to add value.
Pre-planning delivery programmes and delay penalties
Proposed for housebuilders in government reform: Speeding Up Build Out.
High street health: converting a building for healthcare uses
The benefits of health centres acting as new anchor sites in the high street.
The Remarkable Pinwill Sisters: from ‘lady woodcarvers’ to professionals. Book review.
Skills gap and investment returns on apprenticeships
ECA welcomes new reports from JTL Training and The Electrotechnical Skills Partnership.
Committee report criticises UK retrofit schemes
CIOB responds to UK’s Energy Security and Net Zero Committee report.