Council set to approve £70,000 sculpture, in spite of its detractors

THE go-ahead looks set to be given for illuminated public artwork at a major gateway into the city, despite a mounting campaign of opposition.

Councillors are being urged by city planning officials to approve proposals for the free-standing stainless steel and glass archway earmarked for Fore Street in Heavitree.

Standing more than five metres high, the £70,000 specially-commissioned sculpture, which would be positioned next to the gable end wall of the Gun and Sports Shop in Gordon's Place, would form the centrepiece of improvements to the area.

However, residents who claim they were not consulted properly on the scheme have been seeking alternative ideas.

They have approached community artist Elaine Goodwin, who has lived in Heavitree for the past seven years. But she was not one of those asked to tender for the job of creating a piece of artwork when the city council sought artists last summer.

Some residents say they would prefer to see a mural or a mosaic and Ms Goodwin, a mosaic specialist, has said she would like to give a public talk to encourage people to develop her initial thoughts on design.

She said: “I have worked for 15 years as a community artist and now as a professional one.

“I feel that I could have worn both hats and produced something inspirational that would involve the whole of a community in which I live.”

Resident Martyn Beckett said a survey he conducted in Heavitree showed around 75 per cent of the 105 people who responded were in favour of a mural rather than a sculpture.

Mr Beckett said: “This consultation is a fairly persuasive argument that most people in Heavitree are against the sculpture.

“We can now only hope that councillors on the planning committee are open- minded on this issue.”

But the council says it has carried out an extensive consultation process on the artwork and the wider improvement project.

Richard Short, head of planning services at the city council, said there had been consultation on the improvement scheme in Heavitree at least four or five times over the last few years.

He said: “Members of the committee should not be looking at whether the consultation on the Heavitree improvement scheme has been adequate.

“The artwork needs to be considered on planning merit and if the design is good enough and whether there's any impact on traffic safety and pedestrian flows.”

The planning committee takes place on Monday.