THE controversial pyramid scheme for Poole has been scrapped - what would you like to see in its place? Give us your suggestions.

On Thursday night council bosses announced they would no longer be supporting the proposal and would stop discussions with Solar Pyramid Ltd.

Leader of the borough councillor Brian Leverett said: "Having listened to the views and concerns expressed by residents and my fellow councillors together with the information available from Solar Pyramid Ltd it is my opinion that the council can no longer support this proposal."

But he insisted the council's cabinet was right to give serious consideration to the scheme and pledged to investigate whether a major tourist attraction could boost Poole's economy, although assessment work has not yet been commissioned.

Last November, the Daily Echo reported how a private company had approached Poole council with the idea of a "world-class visitor attraction" which would stand 58 metres tall and attract 400,000 visitors a year. The idea had been discussed in a closed session of the town centre and bridge advisory group.

It was revealed days later that the attraction would be the Solar Pyramid - billed as the world's largest timepiece and the UK's largest artwork.

It had originally been proposed for a town in Derbyshire and was now being put forward for Baiter, recently re-named Harbourside Park.

But local reaction was hostile, and within days the chairmen of organisations representing more than 10,000 local people sent in a letter of objection to the council.

They said: "We are most concerned that this 150ft high mirror polished structure has been designed to glitter by day and glow luminescent by night.

"The resultant reflection of sunlight from this massive structure by day, and light pollution by night, would constitute an unacceptable infringement to the quality of life enjoyed by residents in a large area of southern Poole."

There was further anger when it was revealed that, although the scheme would be privately funded, the Borough of Poole was committing £40,000 to a feasibility study. And 200 residents who packed a public meeting in a room at the town's Lighthouse refused to accept assurances that no site had been chosen.

Supporters said the pyramid could boost Poole's economy by £20 million a year. Bruce Grant-Braham, chairman of the Poole Tourism Panel, said: "It's not every day one gets the opportunity for an attraction of national importance."

He added: "A developing town really should have some iconic architecture."

Earlier this month, a scrutiny committee of the council debated the decision to spend money on the feasibility study, and sent the decision back to the council's cabinet to be reconsidered.