A statue of the late Prince Philip has been put on notice after the local council described it as “possibly the poorest quality work” ever submitted.
The £150,000 bronze sculpture called ‘The Don’ is supposed to credit the Prince for his role as Vice Chancellor of Cambridge University.
A plaque under the 13-foot statue said: “HRH Prince Philip Duke of Edinburgh, Chancellor University of Cambridge 1977-2011.”
Cambridge City Council issued an enforcement notice on March 5 for the statue’s removal.
Cambridge City Council issued an enforcement notice on March 5 for the statue’s removal
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It claimed the sculpture does not have planning permission and has a “harmful material impact” on the appearance of the area.
The sculpture will be permanently removed along with its foundations and plinth within four months from April 11 unless an appeal is lodged beforehand.
Local planners refused permission for the statue to be displayed outside a new office block on Hills Road in 2014.
They instead described the sculpture as the worst piece of public art they had ever seen.
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Prince Philip leads the 2008 honorary degree procession at Cambridge Universtity
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Nadine Black, who serves as public art officer at Cambridge City Council, labelled the sculpture as “possibly the poorest quality work that has ever been submitted to the council”.
She added: “It is not site-specific and is a work already purchased and has no relationship to this site.
“It is too large a scale for the context of the space it will be located within and will compromise the quality of the new development.”
Unex Group who developed the piece defended the work.
Prince Philip
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Chairman Bill Gredley described it as a “spectacular piece of art” in 2014.
A spokesman also said: “Mr Gredley and others consider it is a rather spectacular bronze with a difference, namely the head and shape as cast together with the bronze being coloured black to resemble the academic clothing and mortarboard.
“Mr Gredley appreciates that art is subjective and therefore has no issue with those who do not like The Don.”
However, Councillor Katie Thornburrow said nobody “seems to have a good word to say about it” and she will be “glad to see it gone”.
