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Dismay over Angel of South designs

The shortlisted designs for Kent's £2 million Angel of the South landmark have provoked a disappointed and angry response from the public.

We asked which of the five designs you would like to see become the massive landmark towering above North Kent. Of the 400 people who voted, 198 (47 per cent) chose a dismissive "none".

The favourite with 110 votes (26.8 per cent)was Mark Wallinger's design for a white horse that would be 33 times life size. It is picture three in the gallery above. The poll is now closed.

The landmark will be larger than the Statue of Liberty. But size doesn't appear to matter to some contributors to our SpeakOut.

All the designs are ridiculous, according to Richard Murphy from Maidstone. "What a disgusting waste of money on something utterly pointless," he added.

Kent-born Christine Punter wrote from Auckland to say: "People I speak to in New Zealand know that Kent is beautiful so why is it necessary to have such a 'landmark' anyway?"

Geraldine Cole, from Barming, thought the horse design would be all right if it was the county's Invicta horse symbol. "That would have told everyone that they were in beautiful Kent," she wrote.

Others also liked the idea of an Invicta-style prancing white horse, as mooted by Kent County Council leader Paul Carter.

But Lori McKay added: "Does it have to look like one of those ghastly plastic models that stand outside saddlery shops?"

The landmark is to be a symbol of the new development of Ebbsfleet Valley which is to be transformed in the coming years into a new community of up to 10,000 homes together with open space, parkland, office, retail and community facilities.

The artists' designs will go on display in Bluewater shopping centre, for the public to see, at the end of May.

~ Full details of the artists' designs >>>

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