PLANS for a £11m landmark sculpture at Gretna Green have been submitted to Dumfries and Galloway Council.
The Star of Caledonia Trust lodged the proposals for the 33m high steel landmark last week.
And, if the green light is received, it is hoped construction work can begin on the land opposite Smiths Hotel, next to the A74(M), in spring 2026, with the completed project open to the public just over a year later.
It is hoped the Star will attract up to 250,000 visitors a year, greatly enhancing the region’s economy.
In a letter submitted with the application, trust chair Lucy Houston said: “As a local charity run by volunteer trustees, we have been on a long journey to reach this point.
“The Star will celebrate Scottish invention and promote the best of Dumfries and Galloway tourism.”
Designed by Cecil Balmond OBE, the steel structure will be fitted with over 100 lights.
There will also be a visitor hub, a landscaped viewing platform, water body, car parking, service connections and vending kiosks.
Money for the project is understood to be a mixture of public and private funding, with the biggest sum coming from CWP Energy.
Out of the total cost, roughly 70 per cent is coming from private funders.
The project was born back in 2001 when Alasdair Houston, farmer and owner of a tourism/hospitality business at Gretna Green, had the idea of creating a border landmark to act as a cultural catalyst to help the region recover following the foot and mouth outbreak.
Alasdair led the project with enthusiasm until his death in 2021. His wife Lucy is now chair of the trust, and has a singular focus to see his vision transformed into reality.
