Consett Artwork Showcasing the Industrial Heritage of the Area

After months of consultation with local young people and interested parties, including the Consett District and Heritage Initiative, the £45,000 sculpture represents the heavy industrial presence and history of the region, the piece itself represents an image of a blast furnace – the light reflects an element of the smelting process. Made of stainless steel, the Consett artwork should remain for many years once produced.

Consett Artwork
View of the completed structure.

Puddlers Corner roundabout will house the giant production on Front Street, Genesis Way. Planning permission was recently given to begin building the art piece and it is hoped that work will start in early February, with a planned finish of some time in March. Colin Rose is the artist commissioned to design this piece of Consett artwork;

“The sculpture reflects both the smelting process and the glow and the light is also recognition of Consett as a modern, clean town. It is a reference to the past and the future.”

Consett steel works was at its peak in the 1960s, with around 6,000 employees at the time. The steel works saw the expansion of the village in the early 1800s to the bustling town inhabited by employees of the works and all of their families. Pit houses in Delves Lane and the surrounding area stand as a reminder of the prosperous but hard-working times. This project has been made possible by Aviva due to the funding they are investing in the Hermiston Retail Park and surrounding area.

The loss of over 3,500 employees was caused by the closure of the steel works in the 1980s. Contrasting this unfortunate time, Consett has seen an increase in businesses in recent times and as a result a huge number of employment opportunities has arisen. As the project has gone through a consultation process with the local community it is hoped that the structure will be something that local people can be proud of.

 


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Ben Mullen
Ben Mullen is a writer, blogger, youtube guru, and media producer with Firefly New Media UK. Consett Magazine are very proud to have Ben working with Consett's favourite publication.

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