Star of Caledonia at Gretna: Border artwork plans approved

Plans for a landmark artwork near the Scotland-England border have been approved unanimously by councillors.

Standing 33m (108ft) high, the £10m Star of Caledonia is to be built near Gretna Green.

Revised plans for the project – which has been in the pipeline for more than 20 years – were submitted earlier this year.

Dumfries and Galloway Council’s planning committee has now given the all clear for the sculpture, with illuminated spikes, to be built and it could open to the public by 2027.

The idea of the landmark – hoping to emulate the success of the Angel of the North in Gateshead – first surfaced in the wake of the foot-and-mouth outbreak of 2001.

It is designed to celebrate the area’s role as a “gateway” between Scotland and England while also helping to boost the economy, with project leaders hoping it will attract up to 250,000 visitors a year.

A competition to design the massive structure was won in 2011 by Cecil Balmond’s Star of Caledonia.

Planning permission was secured but the project was halted due to funding issues.

Now revised plans from the Star of Caledonia Trust have been given the all clear – with conditions – by councillors.

The project has divided opinion with some describing it as “very attractive” but others criticising the design as “truly awful”.

Planning permission clears the way for work to begin on the sculpture alongside a visitor centre for the artwork.

The scheme has secured significant private sector support including from wind farm firm CWP Energy.

The Star of Caledonia trustees said they were “delighted” with the decision to approve their plans.

They said that subject to the final funding being put into place, the project was now “full steam ahead” and ground would be broken early next year.

With a 14-month build, it is hoped that the project will be fully open to the public in early summer 2027.

Lucy Houston, who chairs the trust, said: “This is a huge step forward and we are thrilled that planning was approved today.”