White Horse’s iconic silhouettes set for extended stay

The popular giant silhouette soldiers at the White Horse could remain in place for another year, as Westbury Town Council has agreed to seek planning permission for the statues, with a review scheduled in a year’s time.

The art display, installed near the White Horse, features striking 10ft-high silhouettes of soldiers alongside smaller metal silhouettes of civilians engaged in everyday activities on military land. Originally part of the Ministry of Defence’s (MOD) Respect the Range campaign, the exhibition was designed to raise awareness of the dangers of using military land. Initially planned to stay for 28 days, public demand led to an extension until the end of last year.

At the recent highways, planning and development committee meeting, councillors considered the possibility of taking over the statues to allow them to remain. Some expressed concerns about the potential liabilities of taking on responsibility for the display.

Cllr Mike Sutton said, “Why would we want to take on liability for this? We are entering into a year when we’re taking on so much. It’s just another thing we don’t actually need. I’ve never seen the point of it personally. We will end up with all sorts of problems. Nobody will help us; they will all disassociate themselves on the grounds that this council voted to take them over. I think it’s a reasonable idea they are up there, but they’ve served their purpose. Who knows what will go wrong? Again, we don’t need it.”

Cllr Duncan Hamilton-Sheen noted the popularity of the statues, saying, “They are very popular. All the feedback from people is that they are very popular.” He also suggested finding military volunteers to assist with maintenance, adding, “Maybe we could get some military people who are willing to go up there with a pot of black paint every now and again to look after these things. It would take some organising, but if in 12 months we can’t find a sponsor or anyone who is going to paint these things, we take them down.”

Cllr Gordon King likened the silhouettes to iconic figures in other parts of the country, such as the Angel of the North and the sculptures at Morecambe Bay. “You can’t go to those areas without seeing them. They are appreciated everywhere,” he said.

Cllr Jane Russ described the silhouettes as “quite iconic” and supported the decision to seek planning permission. “Let’s see what happens if we go for planning permission with the two provisos that you have both brought forward,” she said, referring to the review in a year’s time and the need for external support for maintenance.

Councillors agreed that no maintenance costs should fall to the town council and decided to seek support from local volunteer groups, such as Matravers cadets, to assist with upkeep should planning permission be granted.

Pictured: Children from ‘Little Troopers’ in Bratton School with the Soldiers Silhouettes