A LAST-MINUTE campaign threatens to derail a controversial proposal for an Antony Gormley-style art installation on Borth beach.

Natural Resources Wales withdrew its objection to Tree, award-winning Taliesin artist Robert Davies’ proposal for a metal cast oak tree between Borth and Ynyslas, on the condition it is moved 20 metres to the south last month after previously raising concerns over nesting ringed plover birds.

But with a site inspection panel due to meet on Friday ahead of the proposal’s return to Ceredigion County Council’s planning committee next week, a group which opposes Tree has gathered hundreds of signatures on an online petition.

Speaking to the Cambrian News on behalf of the group this week, Kim Williams claimed there was a “sense of outrage” about the proposal and Mr Davies’ “inadequate consultation process”.

But Mr Davies hit back, pointing to the fact the “134-page” application has been available online since April.

Ms Williams said: “There is a notable lack of awareness and understanding of the Tree proposal and the scale of the structure.

“The lack of any definitive design drawings and the failure of the artist to produce a scale model is an issue.

“Second, amongst those we have spoken to who are aware of the proposal we have found that there is, in fact, significant opposition to Tree as currently conceptualised.”

Mr Davies said: “One of the roles of art is to create debate and discussion and the proposal for Tree is certainly doing that.

“There was a lot of opposition to Antony Gormley’s sculpture Another Place near Liverpool when it was proposed, but it’s now valued by the community.

“I would say to all of those who have signed the petition that most of their concerns and questions are addressed in the planning application that I made for Tree on 23 March.

“It is 134 pages long and it addresses the requirements set out by the planning process. It was validated on 6 April and was followed by the 21 day public consultation process.

“The entire planning application is available on the Ceredigion planning portal.”

To view the application, visit the county council’s planning applications page.

For more information on Mr Davies and the application, visit www.cargocollective.com/CeredigionTree

Objectors have created a Facebook page, and the petition can be viewed here.