Viking statue plan for ancient site can go ahead

An appeal against the placement of a statue of an 11th Century Viking warlord next to the ancient site of the Manx parliament has been dismissed.

The plans will see an 8ft (2.4m) illuminated sculpture of Godred Crovan, known as King Orry, with a hand gesturing towards Tynwald Hill in St John's.

Initially approved last July by the island's planning committee, an appeal against that decision by Manx National Heritage raised concerns over a need for archaeological evaluations of the site.

But, an independent planning inspector has upheld the planning approval – subject to conditions on securing archaeological monitoring, lighting design and minimising the impact on biodiversity being met.

Those conditions include the submission to the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture (Defa) of an archaeological Written Scheme of Investigation and a waxcap grassland avoidance and mitigation plan to avoid unacceptable impact on the fungi.

A sensitive lighting plan is also required to avoid any impact on bats in a nearby woodland and maintain safety at a nearby road junction and of the adjacent ancient monument.

Details of interpretation boards to increase an "understanding of the relationship between the depicted Viking and the National Assembly Site reflecting the history of this area and how it feeds into the traditions of the Tynwald" must also be provided.

Designed by artists Darren Jackson and Stephanie Quayle-Jackson, plans for the artwork on government land near to the site of the annual open air sitting of the parliament were submitted by Laurence Skelly – the current President of Tynwald.

In a report, the independent planning inspector said the proposal was considered to "positively contribute to the cultural and landscape setting of Tynwald Hill through the introduction of a modest, symbolically significant sculpture that enhances public appreciation of the Island's Norse heritage".

Its scale, siting and design were considered "appropriate to the context", and - subject to the conditions – complied with the government's strategic, planning and ecological policies.

That approval was upheld by Defa Minister Clare Barber and those behind the project now have a four-year window to begin the project, subject to meeting the conditions.

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