Ewe have to be joking! Council says ‘no sir, no sir’ to illuminated ‘Baa Baa Black Sheep’ roundabout sculpture after locals referred to as the plans ‘ridiculous’
Plans to build a giant illuminated ‘Baa Baa Black Sheep’ sculpture on a roundabout were rejected by a council after locals called the proposals ‘ridiculous’.
East Riding of Yorkshire Council said the sculpture would be dangerous because it would distract drivers and could be used as a ‘take-off ramp’ for daredevil drivers.
And while developers claimed the monument would remind visitors of the history of farming around Beverley, East Yorkshire, locals pointed out the town was better known for cows.
One said the sheep sculpture ‘frankly looks absolutely ridiculous… furthermore the area is mainly arable with some cattle, so sheep are, at best, irrelevant.’
Developer Risby Homes wanted to build the ‘Baa Baa Black Sheep’ sculpture outside a housing estate and said it would act as a ‘welcome to Beverley’ monument.
The illuminated metal sheep would have sat on top of ‘three bags full’ of stainless steel wool spilling out of them, in reference to the nursery rhyme.
But the council scuppered the plans, citing an ‘unacceptable impact on highway safety’ because it would ‘both obstruct the visibility of the road ahead and distract drivers’ attention from authorised road signs’.
It added that the sheep was ‘tall [and] imposing’ in comparison to the residential area it was in.
Developers planned to built the illuminated metal sheep in Beverley, East Yorkshire. The sheep would have sat on ‘three bags full’ of wool made of stainless steel spilling out of them
The council’s planning officer also wrote: ‘The roundabout is officially named Regiment Roundabout. However, the nature of the proposed artwork may lead to it being colloquially referred to as Black Sheep Roundabout.
‘This could cause confusion for emergency services/drivers/residents, particularly when verbal or written directions conflict, potentially leading to hesitation or unsafe decision-making when approaching the roundabout.’
The sculpture was designed by Peter Naylor, a local artist who created ‘The Bolt of Lightning’ sculpture in Warrington that depicts a US fighter aircraft that was used in the Second World War.
Mr Naylor said: ‘The council’s complete lack of desire is disappointing, especially as Beverley promotes itself as a tourist town and has lots of festivals.
‘There were all kinds of daft spurious objections to it – too steep to cut the grass; danger of people going on to the roundabout for photographs; motorcyclists crashing into it and dying and then the council being sued.
‘I pointed out that I had only recently finished installing The Bolt of Lightning near Warrington – in the middle of a roundabout, on a massive mound, 10 times the traffic that Beverley has – but it made no difference.
‘It’s meant to be a fun, family-oriented, “welcome to Beverley” sort of sculpture but they just want it off the desk.’
Mark Barrett, director of developer Risby Homes said he was ‘very disappointed’ in the council.
The council scuppered the plans, citing an ‘unacceptable impact on highway safety’ because it would ‘both obstruct the visibility of the road ahead and to distract drivers’ attention from authorised road signs’
Peter Naylor, is a local artist who created ‘The Bolt of Lightning’ sculpture in Warrington that depicts a US fighter aircraft that was used in the Second World War
He told The Telegraph: ‘There was nothing in it for us.
‘We were going to give a donation to the town to fund a piece of our artwork – we were trying to give something back.’
He called the council’s health and safety objections ‘nonsensical’.
He said: ‘There are plenty of examples of this sort of thing all over the country.
‘What about the Angel of the North? Is that a distraction?’
Mr Barrett said that he and Mr Naylor had wasted ‘a lot of time and money’ on the project, only for it to be cancelled.
A East Riding of Yorkshire Council spokesman said: ‘The primary concern about this planning application was that the proposal in this particular location on a roundabout would have an unacceptable impact on highway safety, particularly in relation to the structure distracting drivers’ attention and having the potential to be a physical hazard.
‘The scale of the proposal would also be out of keeping with its edge of settlement/rural surroundings. In this location, the scheme therefore fails to meet with planning policy.’
