A GIANT sculpture featuring a cricketer, a beach hut, a greyhound and other sights of Hove has been chosen as the first to take up residence at a scenic seafront spot.

Constellation by Jonathan Wright has been selected by Hove Civic Society as the first sculpture to stand atop the Hove Plinth as its long-planned project comes towards fruition.

The society said funds had almost been secured for the £100,000 stone plinth and focus would now turn to finding sponsorship to pay for the construction of the artwork.

Mr Wright’s work Constellation was chosen from a shortlist of three following a public vote and selection by society members in 2015.

Now his design, a mechanical model of the solar system where planets are replaced with features of Hove, has been given the honour of being the first work to stand on the plinth to be located on Hove seafront at the foot of Grand Avenue.

Regency buildings, a seagull, veteran car, windmill and chess piece are also included in the preliminary design.

Competition organisers said Constellation was selected because it was a perfect fit for the location, celebrated Hove and would be a collective effort involving residents to confirm the final set of icons.

The 2.5 metre tall work will be produced with innovative technology including 3-D printers and could be built in around four months.

A small model of the sculpture has already been produced and the sculpture and plinth will be commissioned at the same time once funding for both is secured.

The sculpture will be displayed on the plinth for 18 months before being replaced by Flight of the Langoustine by Pierre Diamantopoulo

Mr Wright said: “The idea for the Hove Plinth is to create a work that is part made by the local inhabitants and part made by the location itself.

“The role of the artist in this project is to provide a basic structure to focus the work as a whole and to guide it to fruition.

The work is conceived by the public and engineered by the artist.”

Send suggestions on what defines Hove to karin@hovecivicsociety.org.