10m-high beach ‘tree’ plan splits local views
PLANS to erect a 10-metre high metal tree sculpture on a historic beach have split opinion in a coastal community.
Houses in Borth, which is home to 1,400 people, have become festooned with flyers and posters for and against an artwork referred to simply as “Tree” – despite the fact it hasn’t been constructed yet.
The work is the brainchild of artist Robert Davies, who wants to pay homage to an ancient sunken forest that once stood in the area.
Mr Davies, a Birmingham-born artist who lives in Taliesin, five miles east of Borth, proposes to place a single metal cast of a Ceredigion oak tree on the beach.
The overall height of the tree will be between nine metres and 10.5 metres tall, with branches at least 9ft from the ground and all of which will be visible, even at high tide.
It is thought the cost will run into hundreds of thousands of pounds, all of which will be raised by him privately.
Planning permission for “Tree” was rejected, and then granted on appeal, with certain conditions – namely, development must begin no later than June 14, 2023, and it must be removed in its entirety by June 14, 2028.
Heavy storms that battered the Welsh coast in 2014 helped further reveal an ancient forest that once thrived in the area before becoming submerged. The forest is associated with the legend of Cantre’r Gwaelod where, so the story goes, a drunk watchman left sluice gates open one stormy night centuries ago, drowning 16 villages which made up its kingdom.
“I was walking along the beach one day in 2016 and I was thinking about the submerged forest,” says Mr Davies.
“The rising level of the sea and climate change are huge issues and I want to create a cultural response to these material changes. ‘Tree’ will represent the changes in our environment and make reference to an historical past around which stories and myths exist.
“The visual context and impact of ‘Tree’ also reflects the isolated nature of Borth, stubbornly nesting on this strip of land, hanging on with determination in the face of violent natural forces that are reshaping the coastline.”
But not everyone is happy with the plan.
Louis Delahaye, who worked for the local RNLI for 25 years and has lived in Borth for more than half a century, objected on safety grounds.
“I’ve been in that sea in lifeboats and I know how it can be. This tree will be an obstacle: hundreds of people swim in that sea during the summer and I really think that this thing could hurt someone quite badly. This area is also well-used by kite surfers, so don’t tell me this can’t be dangerous, at 30ft tall?”
Mike Willcox, a member of Borth Community Council, which voted seven to two against ‘Tree’ in May 2017, said: “I’m very much against it, from a number of points of view, but mainly an aesthetic one.
“The cost is going to be fantastic, and what about the maintenance? How much is it going to cost to remove it in 2028?”
But Mike Willcox’s fellow community councillor Gwenllian Ashley says parts of Borth have become rundown, and “Tree” would help revitalise the area.
Ms Ashley, the curator of Borth Arts – a group of artists that live and work in the village – said: “Borth needs an injection of tourism.
“There is no year-round, deep tourism here. A lot of the people objecting to it run local businesses and they don’t seem to realise that they would benefit from it the most.
“The day it goes into the sand will be an important day for this area. It’s already brought the debate about climate change to the fore and it will continue to contribute in that way.”
Local artist Neil Johnson echoed that view, saying: “It’s not just a piece of art. It’s a concept that will raise awareness of a global issue. This will bring visitors here... People in Manchester or Birmingham will think ‘let’s got to Borth for the weekend’.”
Mr Davies fears the chances of the project going ahead are slim – but maintained it had already raised an important point about climate change and the environment.
He said: “By placing it in the sea, at mid-tide, adjacent to the submerged and revealed forest, it creates a narrative that tells the story of our past its relationship to the pine, alder, birch and oak forest that was inundated as sea levels rose 6,000 years ago - and our future as sea levels start to rise again.”
He added: “I want this to happen but if I’m honest I think there’s about a 10% chance that it will. But in a sense, the debate and discussion that’s arisen as a result of this project means the tree is already there. Even if it doesn’t work out, I’m already proud of what ‘Tree’ has achieved.”