Citizen Spire plans revealed for site at Kelty

Citizen Spire, which would cost "substantially less" than the previously quoted cost of £10 million, is expected to be built at the former St Ninian’s opencast mine next to the M90 at Kelty.

It's the site of the unfinished land art project and landowners Hargreaves have given the project their approval and a feasibility study is being prepared.

The structure, designed by award-winning Dunfermline artist Ian Moir, of Fire Station Creative, is to be made from rusty steel and inspired by the theme of citizenship.

The landmark's expected cost was to be around £10m but the designs of the pyramidal monument have now changed and Ian explained: “The spire is going to cost substantially less since we have now scaled back the overall plan. The structure will exist primarily for aesthetic and symbolic purposes. The feasibility study will establish the true costs of construction, so it would be wrong to speculate what those will amount to.

“That being said, my gut feeling is that the proposal is much more realisable now.”

Ian and his team will now source funding for the project and he added that he was proud of the final designs, which pays tribute to West Fife’s ancient and recent history.

He said: “The spire, unlike other national monuments, is not dedicated to a single individual but the entire populous. Through carefully considered symbolism, its function is to focus the mind, to make onlookers contemplate their opportunities as free citizens.

"It presents a giant copper eye on the south facade. On seeing this, one is urged to wake up, to be vigilant, to pay attention. One can only do this effectively if history is acknowledged of course.

“We must see that we are all part of a long, long story with a relatively short time to play a part in it.

“On the north facade, a Viking longboat is depicted. This motif is borrowed from the ancient carvings in the caves at East Wemyss. The west facade will show a constellation of stars which signify the local villages as they appear on the map.

“The great geometric form emerges from a coal bing and points upwards to the heavens. At ground level, this is an obvious reference to the past, but the spire then literally comes to a point about citizenship – it is an opportunity.

“West Fife has a rich, fascinating history, both ancient and recent, which I have tried to honour in this design. “ The Press reported last year that the original blueprint for the landmark could rival the Angel of the North in terms of its stature.

An Edinburgh-based business owner has claimed his own project could do the same in a bid to revive the capital’s neglected waterfront.

Eddie Tait is forming a taskforce of MSPs and councillors to support his vision of an Angel of the Forth equivalent of Antony Gormley’s iconic design on the uninhabited Cramond Island.

Ian welcomed the prospect, adding: “I’d be keen to hear what the other group think of our Citizen Spire project. I’m always open to discussion. Nothing bad can come from sharing ideas.”