Villagers slam plans to light up giant 26ft high statue of a naked man at night – because they fear it will distract drivers passing by
- The Yoxman statue was erected in 2021 next to the A12 road in Yoxford, Suffolk
- It has already been labelled a danger to traffic due to drivers staring at it
- Author Olivia Laing, 46, fears illuminating it will make it more of a distraction
A plan to light up a giant statue of a naked man at night has been slammed by villagers – because they fear it will distract passing motorists.
The 26ft high statue called the Yoxman, described as East Anglia’s answer to The Angel of the North, has already been labelled a danger to traffic by some locals due to drivers staring at it as they drive past.
The amply endowed artwork which is one the largest bronze sculptures in the UK was erected In November 2021 in the grounds of 16th century Cockfield Hall next to the A12 road in Yoxford, Suffolk.
Author and critic Olivia Laing, 46, who lives in Yoxford now fears that illuminating the statue will make it even more of a distraction for drivers.
In a letter to council planers, she wrote: ‘The Yoxman statue is on the busy A12 and already presents a hazard to traffic in the day.
A plan to light up a giant statue of a naked man, named the Yoxman, at night has been slammed by villagers – because they fear it will distract passing motorists
The 26ft high statue, which is described as East Anglia’s answer to The Angel of the North, has already been labelled a danger to traffic by some locals due to drivers staring at it as they go past
The amply endowed artwork which is one the largest bronze sculptures in the UK was erected In November 2021 in the grounds of 16th century Cockfield Hall next to the A12 road in Yoxford, Suffolk
‘Making it a nocturnal spectacle will only contribute to this danger. More importantly, light pollution caused by floodlighting at night is ecologically deleterious.
‘It disrupts natural patterns of wildlife, particularly to endangered nocturnal wildlife like bats, owls and moths, which depend upon darkness, as well as obscuring the natural spectacle of the night sky.’
Ms Laing, the author of To The River, The Trip to Echo Spring, The Lonely City and Crudo, added: ‘People live in and visit Suffolk to experience and enjoy nature, and I think a floodlit statue is completely inappropriate to its environmental surrounds.
‘It’s also insensitive to the historical surrounds, especially in the setting of such an important Grade 1 listed building as Cockfield Hall. I strongly object to this proposal.’
Yoxford Parish Council unanimously recommended East Suffolk Council refuse planning consent for three ground level floodlights to light up the statue which forms part of the Wilderness Reserve luxury holiday retreat, created by property billionaire Jon Hunt.
A letter of objection from the parish council states: ‘Given the close proximity of the statue to the A12, and being on a bend in the road with a 40mph speed limit, any lighting may present a potentially hazardous distraction to passing traffic.’
The council’s letter also raises concern that the application does not properly consider the impact on wildlife.
It adds: ‘Lighting of the statue may cause a nuisance to local residents living opposite or close to it.
‘Although the village of Yoxford does not hold official Dark Sky status, (the) Parish Council believes strongly in the value of preserving natural darkness and wishes to encourage the reduction of all light pollution of the local environment.’
The statue which is described by the Reserve as ‘a local tourist feature’ stands in a prominent spot just 95m from the A12.
It was created by sculptor Laurence Edwards who drew inspiration for it from the bogs and woodland of the east Suffolk coast.
Author and critic Olivia Laing (pictured), 46, who lives in Yoxford now fears that illuminating the statue will make it even more of a distraction for drivers
The statue which is described by the Reserve as ‘a local tourist feature’ stands in a prominent spot just 95m from the A12
It was created by sculptor Laurence Edwards who drew inspiration for it from the bogs and woodland of the east Suffolk coast
The planning application proposes illuminating ‘the front part of the Yoxman during the hours of darkness to reinforce the sculptor’s aspirations for the area.’
The plans state that the soft LED lights would be sympathetic to the environment and turned on automatically at dusk by a solar-tracking time clock, supplying ‘subtle and evenly spread light across the statue’.
READ MORE: Locals split over 26ft high bronze statue of NAKED man by the side of a busy A road as some say it distracts drivers – but others describe the well-endowed ‘Yoxman’ as ‘impressive’
The reserve’s agents Brooks Leney state: ‘The amount of light reaching the road would be very low given that the lights are directed away from the road towards the statue.
‘This lighting is considered to be sensitive to its setting and well designed to be an addition to the existing statue which has been well received locally’.
A villager in Yoxford stated last year: ‘It is a marvellous sculpture and is very impressive – but it could end up causing an accident as it is distracting motorists.
‘The A12 is a very busy road and people can’t help looking at a depiction of a naked man in all his glory as they are driving past.’
A Facebook user said: ‘Seems a bit daft to put it by the A12, surely it’s a traffic hazard. Drivers looking at that and not the traffic, or where they’re going…’
The original planning application for the sculpture overlooking a new lake with reed beds in front of the hall described it as ‘a large scale showpiece work for east Suffolk.’
It said that it was intended to be ‘a major landmark for the region – an attraction for tourists and locals seeking cultural and rural recreation and relaxation’.
The application which was approved by East Suffolk Council said that the sculpture was meant to be ‘tantalising, serving as a beacon for what is possible in the region’.
Councillors welcomed it as being ‘highly appropriate’ and adding ‘a sense of drama’ to the parkland of Cockfield Hall.
Yoxford Parish Council chairman Russell Pearce said last year: ‘It has settled into the landscape quite well. I think it is fantastic, so I am biased.
‘Some people are negative and say they don’t like it and don’t see the point of it. But the number of people who stop in the lay-by to look at it is incredible.
A planning application proposes illuminating ‘the front part of the Yoxman during the hours of darkness to reinforce the sculptor’s aspirations for the area’
The plans state that the soft LED lights would be sympathetic to the environment and turned on automatically at dusk by a solar-tracking time clock, supplying ‘subtle and evenly spread light across the statue’
A villager in Yoxford said last year it is a ‘marvellous sculpture’ but it could ‘end up causing an accident as it is distracting motorists’
‘I like the fact that you can see it as you drive past, and if you are in the High Street you can catch a glimpse of it in the gaps between houses.
‘People have likened it to being Suffolk’s answer to the Angel of the North. It is certainly encouraging more visitors to the village who have just come to see it.’
While some have described it as ‘a grotesque monstrosity’ and ‘a blot on the landscape’ on social media, others have described it as ‘brilliant’ and ‘amazing’.
One East Anglian admirer stated on Facebook: ‘Our very own Angel of the East’.
Other Facebook users have commented on the location of the statue with one saying: ‘Apparently installed in the grounds of Cockfield Hall ‘snigger’.’
Another added: ‘Who modelled for the trouser bulge? Ooohh eerrr missus’.
Mr Hunt who co-founded London estate agents Foxtons was said to be worth £1.448 billion and the 124th richest person in the UK according to this year’s Sunday Times Rich List.
His Wilderness Reserve business rents out a range of luxury country houses and cottages for staycations on his private 8,000 acre estate close to the Suffolk coast.
Visitors have included comedian Jack Whitehall and the cast of Made in Chelsea.
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