We believe that the boulders have great artistic value as Mr Gormley's first professional commission and deserve to stay in their original home. We also strongly disagree with the council's assertion that a suitable prominent location is unavailable Ashford.
On reaching 1000 signatures the matter will be referred to the most appropriate local level meeting (e.g. Local Board, Locality Board or Joint Transportation Board)
This ePetition ran from 01/11/2011 to 05/12/2011 and has now finished.
125 people signed this ePetition.
The online petition on “Bring our Boulder Back” came to a close with 125 signatures on the 5th December 2011.The response to the petition has not received the level of public support for it to trigger a County Council debate.
KCC is proud to have commissioned Antony Gormley’s first work and is working with him to ensure that it achieves the new location and prominence that this seminal work deserves. The Gormley sculpture is a unique and (increasingly) valuable asset to KCC.
The extensive vandalism and increasing value of the sculpture has changed the context of where and how the sculpture can be displayed in the future. A new highly prominent and carefully chosen secure location has become critical to the project; to guarantee its future general safety. The new location also needs to ensure maximum interaction with the local population and visiting public, affording as many people as possible the opportunity to enjoy the sculpture.
Confirmation of the failure of the likely delivery of the Ashford
Domestic Station forecourt project (not as implied outside of the
International Station) in late 2010 and early 2011, meant that KCC
having already removed the sculpture from its Singleton location in
September 2010, was fully committed to the restoration of the
sculpture, but no longer had a new home for it.
Extensive efforts have been made at looking for a number of
alternative locations in and around Ashford Town Centre, but which
had to be both realistic and readily available. The search within
Ashford was inconclusive and a site could not be identified by
either KCC, or Ashford Borough Council. To prevent any abortive or
additional design, storage and transport costs, an alternative and
suitable new location had to be found quickly.
The long term primary objective has been to relocate the sculpture
to a true “pride of place” location and this
essentially needs to be within KCC property ownership/control. This
will enable the most cost effective, speedy and practical
resolution of all the associated legal, technical, logistical
issues involved, and whilst also helping to fulfil a legal planning
obligation under a section 106 agreement to provide significant
public art at the new Maidstone Library site.
The delivery of this project has also been driven by the need for
maximum effect with minimal costs, with a rapid and simple solution
with minimal associated consultant/design fees and inherent
construction issues involved around the provision of the most
suitable setting.
The agreed Maidstone location provides the overall and unrivalled
solution, with a superb and a prominent position to integrate the
sculpture within the public realm, the new “gateway”
location and nearby town centre area. The Maidstone location also
provides the most cost effective, highly durable, way forward, with
certainty of high security/low maintenance installations, and with
strong associated cultural themes which can be potentially be
expanded upon in the future. This will also help create a
significant and demonstrable link to other areas of the County
Town.
Yours sincerely
M. Hyland – Project Coordinator December 2011