Decision details

This report presents the results of the public vote to select a favoured design for the landmark piece of public art, known as a Gate Guardian, that will be erected at Daedalus, by the Peel Common roundabout.  It will then seek approval for the most popular design to be procured using developer contributions.

The Daedalus site, on the outskirts of Stubbington, is a growing hub for aviation, education, engineering and innovation.  Alongside its development for business, there is a parallel commitment to providing quality community activities and facilities, establishing an attractive location that has benefits for the community and industry alike.

As part of the IFA2 project, National Grid has confirmed to funding a package of these community facilities at Daedalus.  They will include a play area, a large area of open space for recreation and conservation and, most relevant to this report, a landmark piece of public art to encapsulate the ambition of the site.

This sculpture, measuring approximately 4 metres in height, will be known as a Gate Guardian, and is intended to evoke a sense of local pride while providing a strong point of reference for visitors to Daedalus.  It is proposed that the Gate Guardian will be located in a highly visible location, adjacent to the busy Peel Common roundabout.

The Executive approved the concept of a Gate Guardian in September 2018. Since this time, a strict Procurement process has been undertaken to identify the best five designs that were submitted to the Council during a competitive tender exercise.  These ‘final five’ shortlisted designs were then presented to the public for a month-long vote, which invited people to choose their favoured design.

The public consultation, which attracted 2,280 votes through various consultation methods, identified a clear favourite, receiving almost half of all votes cast.

RESOLVED that the Executive agrees to procure the shortlisted design favoured by the public, Daedalus in Flight by Peter Clutterbuck, selected during the comprehensive public consultation.