A NEW skylark sculpture is to grace Malvern’s Rosebank Gardens alongside the landmark buzzards.
Permission to build the Lark Ascending statue was unanimously granted by Malvern Hills District Council’s southern area planning committee last Wednesday.
The steel artwork, which will be created by Walenty Pytel, will be situated further in the gardens and will be fixed into a steep grass bank.
Mr Pytel also created the popular buzzards in the gardens to mark the diamond jubilee of Her Majesty The Queen.
The Lark Ascending sculpture, which is the brainchild of town councillor Peter Smith, has been entirely funded by the 2017 Autumn in Malvern Festival with donations from two private individuals.
Coun Smith, who is also the founder of the Autumn in Malvern Festival, said: “I am delighted that the new skylark sculpture for Rosebank Gardens received a unanimous vote of approval from the district council’s planning committee.
“The cost is confidential as it’s paid for by private money and not public money.
“Mr Pytel was very generous with his quote because of the great success of the buzzard sculpture which I instigated and project managed alongside him and town council staff.”
There had been one objection to the plans by residents at a flat in Warwick House on Wells Road.
They felt the 6.1 metre sculpture would be permanently ‘overbearing’ and ‘intrusive’ and that the steel architecture would be ‘inappropriate’ and ‘out of character’ with the gardens.
However, Coun Smith argued the skylark would not be visible as it would be covered by a row of trees.
Town clerk Linda Blake said: “Having the skylark will make Rosebank like a sculpture trail and we hope it will encourage people to go further into the gardens.
“So many people go as far as the buzzards and then go back down but we want people to go to the higher levels and enjoy the whole of the gardens.”
Mayor of Malvern Coun Cynthia Palmer added: “The skylark will be a really nice addition to what we have already got in Malvern.”
