Council grants itself permission for street sculptures

KIRKLEES Council has granted permission to itself to install three sculptures in Huddersfield town centre despite keeping designs under wraps.

In their application landscape architects with the council detailed “three tall metal sculptures proposed along pedestrianised New Street, between Ramsden Street and Cloth Hall Street, designed to allow planting to grow through and to give the impression of mature trees.

“The proposed structures are up to 12m-high, 3m-wide and designed with an open structure to give a feeling of lightness.”

The public art project forms part of the so-called Huddersfield Blueprint, the council’s £250m re-imagining of the town centre.

And it comes just three years after a previous £25,000 scheme to locate a stainless steel sculpture close to the Wilko store was announced before being shelved.

One critic called the notion “bizarre” and said it was difficult to assess the appropriateness of the scheme without details of site, specific size or design.

They sought details of the material to be used, the colour, whether the sculptures could provide shelter and if they were graffiti-proof.

Huddersfield Civic Society said the scheme was “unacceptable” and should be withdrawn.

They added that it was “purely a concept without any rationale as to how the street will function”.

And they asked: “Without any designs having been prepared how can anyone assess whether these structures will be acceptable or not?”

The council’s own conservation and design department, which fed into consultations about the sculptures, said it was “difficult to understand the context” of the proposal without details of other enhancements to the streetscape and that the impact would be “difficult to assess”.

The officer added: “I would like to see the full proposals for [New Street].

“I hope the design will complement the architectural and historic character of this street, perhaps with reference to the history of Huddersfield.”

In presenting the project for approval the council said the sculptures could be seen as “vertical planters” that would enhance and “green” New Street and reduce the “street clutter” of outdated furniture. Detailed designs will be approved at a later date.