Second bid to build 180ft Elizabeth Landmark in Northumberland hills

The Elizabeth Landmark was rejected by 13 votes to three at last July’s meeting of Northumberland County Council’s strategic planning committee.

The application, for the 56-metre steel sculpture on the summit of Cold Law, west of Kirkwhelpington, had been recommended for approval by planning officers, but following a site visit, a majority of councillors felt it was an inappropriate location for a structure of this kind.

The idea for the monument, a tribute to the Queen and the Commonwealth, was first revealed in May 2018 by the owner of the Ray estate, Lord Devonport, with the design – Ascendant, by Simon Hitchens – selected from a choice of three that August.

Upon its refusal, the team behind the landmark immediately said that it would be appealing the decision and this was registered with the Planning Inspectorate in January.

That appeal is ongoing, but the application has now been resubmitted as well, with a planning statement saying that the ‘applicant has sought advice from the local planning authority on the scope, nature and scale of amendments to the previously submitted scheme’.

The document adds that the ‘material changes’ from the refused scheme include additional drainage capacity, additional biodiversity improvements, path surfacing amendments, additional seating, and additional signage boulders.

Also, an economic impact assessment and a visitor strategy have been drawn up, while ‘a more comprehensive design and access statement and statement of community engagement have also been prepared’.

The economic report concludes that the the Elizabeth Landmark ‘has the potential to generate an additional £1.43million in gross value added over a 10-year period and sustain a maximum of 8.12 full-time-equivalent jobs each year’.

It adds: ‘Finally, the major economic impact of large-scale public art is often as a precursor to other regeneration activity and/or as a statement of intent/ambition.

‘In this regard, it is difficult to see what other development the landmark might promote but it would undoubtedly attract local, national and international media attention, from which Northumberland would derive benefits.’

However, Keep the Wannies Wild, a protest group which fought the proposals last summer, is encouraging its members to object to the new application.

Writing on its Facebook page, Jean Jones said: ‘The second proposal is virtually the same as the first, but is accompanied by three new reports covering tourism, employment and public consultation.

‘We have carefully read these and do not think they add anything to Lord Devonport’s arguments. They are based on poor data, do not explain all their methodology and refer to letters of support that are not actually provided.

‘In any event, the new application does not address the previous reason for refusal which was the impact of the proposal on the character of this open, sweeping landscape.’

The applicants believe that Ascendant ‘will be a valuable asset to local communities and the North East of England, bringing national and international interest, economic prosperity through tourism and situates the site of the landmark as a cultural destination’.