An ambitious plan to illuminate historic buildings and open spaces in Oxford is being pushed forward by the Lord Mayor, Maureen Christian.

She is appealing to University colleges and businesses to back her initiative to try and give a new night-time grandeur to the city centre, increasingly criticised for its grubbiness.

Mrs Christian wants Oxford to follow the lead of some of Europe's great cities such as Paris, Prague and Lyon, by investing in architectural lighting.

The Hawksmoor Towers of All Souls and colleges such as St John's, Trinity and Balliol are among the historic buildings that could benefit.

Mrs Christian is now writing to Oxford University colleges, asking for £300 contributions to commission designs from a lighting specialist.

The facade of Balliol college could be a candidate for new lighting

She said: "I believe this will benefit Oxford both economically and aesthetically, transforming the whole city centre.

"There was so much fuss about not having Christmas lights but this is something Oxford would have all year. Oxford is always so backward when it comes to these things."

The Lord Mayor believes the lighting would bring important spin-off benefits by helping to make areas of the city feel safer after dark.

A paper called Architectural Lighting: A Strategy for Oxford has already been produced by John Walker, the former director of environmental services at Oxford City Council.

In his report Mr Walker said it was important to get away from the idea of introducing floodlighting. "Oxford's buildings and, to some extent, its public spaces need warm light that will enhance the golden colours for which much of the city centre is noted."

He called for the development of distinctive lighting schemes for various quarters of the city such as Gloucester Green, Oxpens and the Prison and the illumination of prominent buildings, trees and monuments.

The Lord Mayor hopes a scheme could be in place by September, with an application likely to be made for heritage lottery funding.