3 days ago
New plans for controversial Appleby statue submitted
REVISED plans for a controversial artwork in Appleby have been submitted to Westmorland & Furness Council.
The application to install the Gypsy Stallion sculpture is now proposing to site it on land off Roman Road after the original application was rejected in April.
According to the decision notice issued by the council the proposed 2.1-metre-tall sculpture, originally planned on the River Eden, would have 'eroded the neutral and harmonious relationship between the built and natural environment in this part of the town'.
The council said the siting of the Gypsy stallion sculpture would visually compete with surrounding listed buildings including the Grade I listed Church of St Lawrence and the Grade II listed St Lawrence's Bridge.
After the plans were refused the decision notice from the council stated: 'While the cultural intention of the proposal is fully acknowledged and respected, no compelling justification has been provided for locating the sculpture in this specific, highly sensitive position.
'It is considered that the commemorative aim could reasonably be delivered in an alternative location without resulting in such harm, and the public benefit is not sufficient to outweigh the identified heritage impact.
'Furthermore, the proposal would undermine the inclusive and neutral amenity value of a well-used public space, with a significant number of local representations raising concerns about the impact of the sculpture's symbolic presence on community cohesion, emotional comfort and the shared use of the site.'
According to the artist's statement submitted with the application, outside the fair week, 'very little tangible evidence' exists of the 'central importance' of the fair to the town and its Gypsy and Traveller visitors.
It adds the Gypsy and Traveller community would like to donate a public sculpture to the town of Appleby to make this 'crucial' part of the town's heritage more visible.
The statement reads: 'It celebrates our history, culture and horses, and is intended as a thank you to the town for hosting an event that is like a spiritual pilgrimage for us.'
Ward councillor Andy Connell (Appleby and Brough, Lib Dems) has commented on the proposal and said: 'This is a much better option than the previously proposed site on the riverbank, and has the support of at least some local previous objectors.
'It will be a striking and handsome feature at the main entrance into the town. Allusion to the annual Appleby Horse Fair won't be to everyone's taste; but it happens and the town is renowned for it.'
However, a spokesman from the Appleby Fair Communities Group, said: 'Many of the issues raised, and reasons for refusal, in the original application remain unresolved and still relevant, particularly the distress that this statue will cause to many local residents.
'For a significant portion of the community, the Appleby Fair is not a celebration but a source of disruption, anxiety, and hardship. Installing a permanent statue commemorating the event is highly likely to deepen these feelings and worsen community division.
'The group behind this statue have shown themselves to be tone deaf and either have not listened to the original feedback or simply don't care.
'It appears they have ignored what many residents said and simply re-submitted their application for a different location, which I find quite bullish.
'The statue itself is little more than a Trojan horse — a supposed gift designed to impose an identity on the town that many do not recognise as their own, stamping ownership where none has been earned. It is certainly noteworthy that funding and effort can be readily found for a statue, with strong advocacy to ensure its installation, yet there seems to be no similar energy spent on funding the event itself.
'Instead, the expectation remains that local taxpayers will shoulder the burden. This is particularly jarring at a time when many residents are struggling to afford basic necessities, such as heating, while council tax continues to rise. The contrast is striking and unjust.'
