The original towers were completed in 1855 and quickly became famous for their height and splendour. They were designed by Brunel to supply the fountains in the gardens around the newly constructed Crystal Palace, which was moved to the south-east London site from Hyde Park after the Great Exhibition of 1851.

Standing at 280ft high the towers held 1,200 tons of water, pumped at a rate of 120,000 gallons a minute, to produce 11,788 jets of water. The pleasure gardens were described by Queen Victoria as a “magical fairyland” and attracted visitors from across the world.

The site fell into disrepair at the beginning of the 20th Century due to the high running costs and the fountains were switched off for the last time in 1911. The lack of an accessible water supply meant that when fire broke out in 1936 there was no way to stop it from destroying the glass pavilion, a moment Winston Churchill described as “the end of an age.” The towers survived the blaze, but were demolished during the Second World War due to fears Luftwaffe bombers might use them as landmarks.

The new scheme has been developed by German landscape architects Latz and Partner, and will incorporate a dramatic reconstruction of the towers.

If approved, the new scheme will be “in the spirit” of the original designs, but will incorporate leading-edge green technology to generate electricity for the 200 acre site, which is being redeveloped in a £100m scheme over the next 15 years.

The towers will be built as wind turbines driven by air brought in at the base and heated by solar panels in the shaft to increase the flow.

“This could potentially be a beacon for London,” designer Robin Buckle explained. “It would be illuminated at night and provide a magnificent landmark on the broader London skyline and really put Crystal Palace on the map.”