Northumberlandia sculpture work to start next year

Jul 2 2009 by David Black, The Journal

The Banks Group – which is digging more than six million tonnes of coal, shale and fireclay from the Shotton site over eight years – says Northumberlandia will be the world’s biggest sculpted human form. Banks and the Blagdon Estate are funding the cost of the project, and the finished sculpture and park will be managed by the Land Restoration Trust. Yesterday Mark Dowdall, Banks’ environment and community director, said the company was ‘absolutely convinced’ Northumberlandia would be a major tourist draw.

“Our dual aims were to create an outstanding artistic landmark, which stands alongside the region’s other main tourist attractions, and to provide high quality leisure facilities for the local community,” he said.

“We believe this final design will succeed on both counts.

“Northumberlandia has already garnered interest and responses from right around the world and we’re very excited to now be unveiling the project’s final form.”

Vital statistics

:: THE figure will be seven and a half times the size of the pitch at St James’s Park and taller than an eight-storey building at its highest point.

:: It will be 400 metres long and up to 34 metres high, and its basic core will be created from overburden material imported from the Shotton opencast site.

:: It will take people about 20 minutes to walk the 1,162 metre-long outer path to be built around the earth sculpture.

:: Northumberlandia will include 4,000 metres of surfaced public paths and 2,500 metres of grass paths for visitors.