A DREAM to create a piece of public art on the seafront will be realised after seven years of hard work and campaigning.

The Hove Plinth project will see the fruits of its work delivered in the spring when a new work of art will take up residence on Hove seafront.

It follows a second successful crowdfunding exercise which raised £24,000 for the construction of the first selected artwork for the scheme.

Backed by a £16,000 Arts Council pledge and around £100,000 raised for the Roman Stone plinth it will occupy for up to 18 months, there is now sufficient funding to deliver the much anticipated project which will sit on Hove promenade, at the foot of Grand Avenue.

The winning design by Jonathan Wright is a 2.5 metre high mechanical model of the solar system but with orbiting planets replaced with historic, present day and future features of Hove.

Mr Wright said: “The notion of a constellation, a model of the planetary system, an oversized orrery, is a perfect fit for the location. 

“We are encouraged to look upward, consider star gazing, a sense of the universe and the place we hold in the world. 

“The installation will involve the local community, Brighton and Hove Museums and the University of Brighton. 

“There is therefore a widening of the audience who are normally involved in the process of delivering artwork in the public realm.”

Early proposals for emblems of Hove to be included were a cricketer, regency building, greyhound, seagull, beach hut, veteran car, windmill and chess piece.

For the project’s next stage, the sculptor will meet with residents to finalise the objects through a series of workshops in September before constructing the work over four months.

A project plan for the scheme will now be drawn up for the plinth’s construction over the winter when the seafront is at its quietest.

As well as the installation and construction of the 2.5m plinth, work will also be carried out to landscape the area and connect electric and internet cables to the plinth.

Project director Karin Janzon said: “We are absolutely thrilled to have reached this stage, its absolutely great. The money is obviously important for the crowdfunder but it is also about the enthusiasm for the project, there are a lot of people excited about the project.

“We can’t thank enough all those who have supported this great community project for Hove and who are as excited as we are at the prospect of seeing great modern-day sculpture on our wonderful seafront.”

Three designs from ten shortlisted submissions were selected for the scheme back in July 2015 with works by Matthew James Davies and Pierre Diamantopoulo waiting in the wings.

Organisers said they have a number of different options on how they could fund these designs in the future.

Works of art that have appeared on the plinth might then be displayed in different locations around the city.