Agenda item

Report of the Director of Open Spaces.

The Committee considered a report of the Director on the proposal by the London Borough of Waltham Forest for a light-based art installation on an outlier of Forest Land at Leyton Green. The report provided Members with details of the proposed art installation and, at appendix 1, its original designs.

Members discussed various maintenance issues regarding the proposed artwork and noted that the London Borough of Waltham Forest would be responsible for the continued maintenance of the site and the artwork. The Director observed that the London Borough of Waltham Forest would be responsible for securing all the appropriate consents for the installation. Members noted the Borough’s cultural ambitions and that this small outlier of the Forest was in a busy urban location.  However, it was felt that the proposed artwork did not properly represent Epping Forest. In addition, a Member commented that approval to the artwork might represent a disadvantageous precedent for the future use of Forest Land.

Members commented that they did not disagree with the principle of an art installation at Leyton Green, but expressed that they were not content with proposed designs for the art installation. The Chairman requested that Officers note the comments made by the Committee and inform the London Borough of Waltham Forest accordingly in order that an updated design be produced for consideration by the Committee.

RESOLVED- That the Committee did not approve the proposed installation and requested that the London Borough of Waltham Forest propose an updated design with a more suitable location or abandon the project.