'Toblerone' sculpture is hard to swallow for villagers

A seaside village is feeling a bit sick over a £68,000 public sculpture - saying it looks like giant blocks of Toblerone.

The giant brown steel artwork has been put up in the picturesque village next to new £300,000 private homes.

The three 4ft high brown blocks are meant to "create a sense of identity" - but villagers are fuming at the chocolate-coloured blocks overlooking the sea.

The artwork at Ogmore by Sea in the Vale of Glamorgan, was paid for by private housing company Barratt Homes.

Village community councillor Sue Lewis said: "It is a disgraceful waste of money, The installations are seen by most as ugly and inappropriate for their context.

"They are eyesores begging for vandalism and graffiti."

Mrs Lewis said the art money would have been better spent on a playground or community centre.

She said: "They provide no visual or recreational purpose to a community."

The builders were ordered as part of their planning approval to spend one per cent of the cost of their new housing on public art.

But villagers say they were not consulted when the brown steel blocks went in.

Welsh Conservative leader Andrew RT Davies has met villagers at the Toblerone art installation - and called for more consultation when builders are ordered to include public art.

He said: "It is vital they are used in the most productive way – and that means having the community take part in the decision."

A spokesman for the Vale of Glamorgan council said: "Public art helps create a sense of identity and community.

"Any consultation with the wider community was a matter for the developer."

Steve Williams, managing director of developer Barratt South, said: ""We worked with an art consultant to identify suitable artists and the final concepts are submitted to the council for approval.

"Full liaison and engagement takes place with the local authority and they sign off and approve the art commission to allow it to proceed to fabrication and installation."