PLANS have been unveiled to install an eight-metre high "gateway" sculpture following major highways improvement work in Poole town centre.

The Hunger Hill road scheme by BCP Council and Dorset LEP was part of the wider project in the Townside area, which was set up to support future housing development in the area. The work on the busy junction was completed on schedule earlier this year.

Now proposals to add a nautical rope knot sculpture on land adjacent to West Street and West Quay Road have been submitted by the local authority to its own planning department.

If approved, the public artwork designed by artist Michael Condron will be made of stainless steel and illuminated internally by LED lighting at dusk in a "subtle" effect.

The scheme comes after the now abolish Borough of Poole (BoP) carried out public consultations with residents.

A design and access statement submitted in support of the application says: "The artist was commissioned through the Borough of Poole’s Procurement Team and the designs shown in this application have been developed by the artist following in-depth community involvement and through an advisory steering group of Elected Members and Officers of BCP, chaired by Julian McLaughlin, director of growth and Infrastructure at BCP.

"The sculpture’s design – a form derived from the ‘Newfoundland Knot’ – reflects the extensive research undertaken by the artist and public engagement feedback into the heritage of Poole and the Townside site. It also shows that the extensive community engagement carried out in 2017 by BoP has been taken into account by the artist."

The final design and scale for the sculpture will be dependent on structural design, ground surveys, costs and client input, according to the planning application.

However, it does state that it will have a maximum height of eight metres.

The statement adds: "The design is a contemporary celebration of Poole’s heritage and complements more traditional designs and street furniture interventions found in Poole’s Old Town and elsewhere in the town centre.

"It will provide an attractive and engaging ‘gateway’ piece, for visitors to the town from the Holes Bay direction and Poole’s Townbridge to the east and will engender civic pride in the town’s community."