New Scotland-England border Gretna Green landmark plan submitted
New plans have been submitted for a giant landmark artwork - the Star of Caledonia - to be built on the Scotland-England border near Gretna Green.The winning design for the project, by Cecil Balmond OBE, was selected more than a decade ago but building work has never started.The size of the star has been reduced slightly in the revised plans and the project - costing about £10m - will also include a visitor centre for the artwork which hopes to attract up to 250,000 people a year.Lucy Houston, who chairs the Star of Caledonia Trust, said the trust was delighted to have reached a milestone in a "very long journey".
The idea of the landmark - hoping to emulate the success of the Angel of the North in Gateshead - first surfaced in the wake of the foot-and-mouth outbreak of 2001.It aimed to celebrate the area's role as a "gateway" between Scotland and England while also helping to boost the economy.A competition to design the massive structure was won in 2011 by Cecil Balmond's Star of Caledonia.Planning permission was secured but the project never made progress due to funding issues.
It has now been backed by wind farm firm CWP Energy with the trust working to secure the public element of the costs which have risen steadily from an early estimate of £4m.It has also shrunk in size slightly from the originally planned 40m (120ft) to about 33m (100ft) high.The steel sculpture with LED lights will, nonetheless, still be a prominent sight for people crossing the border between Scotland and England.
Ms Houston said: "I am delighted that the Star of Caledonia has reached a milestone on its very long journey, and I am relieved to see it move to planning in memory of my late husband Alasdair Houston."As a trust, we are working very hard behind the scenes, pulling together feasibility, revenue and business models."We are planning to start construction next spring, with a 12 to 15 month build - meaning that the Star of Caledonia will be up and open in spring 2027 - a full 25 years after its original conception."She said residents in the area had been supportive of the project.
"We are excited to see the Star of Caledonia get a new home, as the project is not just about a landmark sculpture but as a catalyst for tourism, local economies, and community pride," she added.Rod Wood, managing director at CWP Energy, said the company was proud to be playing a part in seeing the landmark built.He said it was already "heavily invested" in Dumfries and Galloway with its wind farms but said the Star of Caledonia would "stand for generations" and could be a catalyst for tourism and boosting the economy.The revised plans have now been submitted to Dumfries and Galloway Council for its consideration.They will be considered by planning councillors at a later date.
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