Award-winning South Tyneside sculpture saved from demolition after plans withdrawn

Plans to demolish an award-winning sculpture in South Tyneside have been withdrawn from the local authority’s planning portal.

In May, South Tyneside Council’s planning department received a demolition application for ‘The Swarm’ off Mill Lane, at the corner of Monkton Business Park North.

The artwork is a steel structure which stands at around 10.5 metres high and is made up of segments, as well as a vertical opening along the side showcasing a steelwork model of a bee swarm.

‘The Swarm’ was designed to “represent the transformation of Monkton Coke Works from a polluted industrial site into a natural green environment”.

Plans to demolish the sculpture were met with criticism from local residents, councillors and the artist who originally designed The Swarm.

South Tyneside resident Jill, whose son worked on the building of The Swarm, previously told the Shields Gazette about her disappointment at the application to demolish the sculpture.

She commented: “I’ll be upset if it does go because my son was one of the last apprentices at Swan Hunter’s who worked on the sculpture.

“I know that he and a lot of his colleagues from those days are very upset.

“It would be a disaster if it was to go because so many people know of it - they come past it, they bring their families to see it and it is something that we are very proud of.

“It is disappointing that it has come to this.”

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Under the demolition plans, which were submitted by The Land Trust, the sculpture would have dismantled and scrapped.

Initially, the plans were submitted with the justification that “ongoing maintenance funds were not available”.

The Gazette understands that the application has been withdrawn as part of a “good will” gesture by The Land Trust following the disappointed that was expressed by the local community.