Sculpture trail plan for country park is approved

Penistone Hill Country Park will host the Wild Uplands Project, being held as part of Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture.

It will feature works by four artists. Pieces will include a collection of 75 sculpted butterflies and a tower clad in sheep’s wool, designed to reflect the district’s industrial past.

Commissioned by the Bradford Culture Company – the group set up to run Bradford 2025 – the trail will be based in the park for a temporary period.

The works are expected to be installed in May, and removed in October.

A planning application for the sculpture trail, submitted by Bradford Culture Company late last year, has now been approved by Bradford Council.

There had been one objection, from somebody who feared the artwork might be vandalised.

But planners said one individual fearing potential vandalism was not a valid reason to block a major part of Bradford’s City of Culture celebrations.

Other sculptures would reflect the flora of the district’s moorland and “mysterious beings from theology”.

A planning spokesperson said: “The area is popular with walkers and visitors to the district.

“The artworks would be sited within an upland park and are for public benefit as part of the City of Culture celebrations.

“The temporary nature would ensure that impact on openness would only be for a short period and the public benefit as artworks are considered to comprise very special circumstances that outweigh any limited harm to the green belt.

“It is noted that existing sculptures are already sited in the park.

“The temporary nature of the installations will allow the site to be restored to its current condition.

“As the sculptures are public artworks, their design and appearance is subjective as with any form of art.”

An individual had raised concerns that a nearby public toilet block had been frequently vandalised, and that the “unwanted sculptures” could meet the same fate.

But planning officers said: “Comment has been received regarding concerns that the artworks will be vandalised.

“There is nothing to suggest that this will be the case – the artworks are only a temporary feature and concerns regarding potential vandalism are for the management of the site and not a valid reason to withhold permission in this case.”