15 metre tall 'Tower of Now' sculpture in Bradford city centre approved
It's being built on the site of a former car park on Hall Ings
PROPOSALS to install a huge sculpture in Bradford city centre have been approved, with planners saying it will “form a public attraction.”
The Tower of Now is a 15-metre-tall sculpture planned for the new pocket park that is being created on Hall Ings, on the former NCP car park site.
The ornate structure will be designed by Artist Saad Qureshi, and will be installed in the park early next year as part of Bradford’s City of Culture celebrations. It has been commissioned by Bradford City of Culture – the organisation behind the yearlong celebration.
A planning application for the artwork said the tower will celebrate the “diverse fabric of the city”.
That application have now been approved by Bradford Council.
Five people had objected to the proposals, with some arguing the artwork “does not represent Bradford.”
But planning officers said taste in public art was a “subjective matter.”
The application said the sculpture will be based in the park from February 2025 to March 2026, and would explore “British identity within the diverse fabric of the city.”
It added: “With the inclusion of soundscapes in the mother tongues of local residents, the tower is a testament to the richness of cultural exchange.”
The planning officer’s report revealed details of the objections to the plan.
One objector said: “This does not represent inclusivity” while another described it as “an eyesore.”
Another said: “Not inclusive nor a representation of Bradford and its history or what we want the City of Culture.”
And another suggested the public should have been consulted on the plans.
Referring to these objections, planners said: “As the sculpture is a piece of public artwork, its design and appearance, like any form of art, is subjective – with taste in art being a subjective matter.
“The design of the proposed development is considered appropriate in the context of this part of the city centre.”
They said criticism of the design by the five objectors was “not a material planning matter.”
Referring to the objector who said the public should have been consulted on the plans, officers pointed out that the public were able to have their say on the planning application.
Approving the plans, officers said: “The sculpture will provide artwork to the proposed pocket park, adding some visual interest to the built environment and will form a public attraction.”
A condition of the approval is that the tower will need to be removed from the site by March 2026.