Controversial statue 'of late Prince Philip' to be removed from city centre

A controversial statue of the late Prince Philip described as 'the poorest quality work' will have to be removed from a city centre after a bid to save it was rejected.

The £150,000, 13ft-tall bronze sculpture of the late Queen's husband in his role as vice-chancellor on Hills Road, Cambridge was erected in 2014. Cambridge City Council (CCC) issued an enforcement notice for the bust to be taken down after they said it was installed without planning permission in March.

Property firm Unex then appealed against the enforcement notice to save the statue and keep it where it is. The planning inspectorate has now ruled that CCC's enforcement notice should be upheld and 'The Don' must be removed from outside Charter House.

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They also ruled against granting planning permission for the sculpture as it is "not of good enough quality, as a public artwork".
Unex are understood to have commissioned the £150k sculpture and previously said it was created by Uruguayan sculptor Pablo Atchugarry. Atchugarry has denied being the "author" of the statue and said he was "really astonished, worried and disappointed" that his work was being misrepresented.

The Cambridge city council public art officer Nadine Black said in 2014 it was "possibly the poorest quality work that has ever been submitted to the council". The £150k bust depicts the late Prince Philip in academic robes commemorating his 35 years as vice-chancellor.

In July, the sculpture was moved by a lorry a few metres down from Charter House where it had previously stood.
Cambridge City Council has confirmed it was not involved in the movement.

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