A £10 million steel sculpture, the Star of Caledonia, is set near the Scottish border with a visitor center and loch.
The sculpture will have 108 LED lights. Renewable energy will power these lights at night. Its purpose is to symbolize Scotland’s energy. Cecil Balmond designed it ten years ago, and the site should open by spring 2027.
The design uses energy as a visual idea; the curves represent Scottish intelligence. Most funding comes from CWP Energy now. Public money may become available later.
Lucy Houston chairs the Star of Caledonia Trust. Her late husband, Alasdair, conceived the idea. He wanted a landmark at the border in 2001 to help the area recover from the outbreak.
The Star will be taller than the Angel of the North, and it looks like a DNA double helix. The sculpture is painted with grey steel, and fifty-four LED rods will extend outward, creating 108 lights.
The sculpture will sit on a grassy mound on a 38-acre landscaped site. This will offer a destination attraction. The trust needs more funding and they are looking at sources like the Borderlands growth deal.
The foot-and-mouth outbreak hurt the area badly. Alasdair wanted to help his community. The trust wants to start building next spring, and they hope to welcome visitors in 2027.
Planning councillors will review the proposals. They work for Dumfries and Galloway Council. David Mundell supports the project as the Scottish Conservative MP for Dumfriesshire.
He thinks it’s an exciting project for Gretna. He believes it will bring economic benefits. Other outdoor artworks have been very successful, such as the Angel of the North and the Kelpies.