Plans to install a sculpture of a stallion in Appleby as a donation from the Gypsy and Traveller community have been turned down by the council.
Westmorland and Furness Council has refused a planning application from Drive 2 Survive CIC to place a sculpture, The Appleby Stallion, on the western bank of the River Eden to celebrate the role of the horse fair to the town.
Appleby Horse Fair takes place annually in June and is the largest fair of its kind in Europe attracting tens of thousands of visitors.
The council said the 2.1m sculpture would erode 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.
The applicant said the proposal would have a negligible impact upon designated heritage assets in the area.
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 added that 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.
It said: “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.”
But the council said: “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.”
The proposal received 163 letters of support, 72 objections and 21 observation letters.
Supportive comments were submitted largely by individuals and organisations from across the UK while most objections were submitted by residents within Appleby.
It said a substantial number of objections were submitted by local residents raising concerns over the visual sensitivity of the location, the prominence of the proposed sculpture and the potential impact on the neutrality of a widely used public space.
However, the report added: “Some local residents also expressed support for the proposal, welcoming the opportunity to celebrate a tradition that has shaped Appleby’s reputation and economy.
“These representations are important in understanding the diversity of local opinion.”
