IT looks like it's back to the drawing board for a £200,000 public art project nearly four-and-a-half years after funding was first agreed.
Redbridge Council originally negotiated the money for public art on the A406 flyover in South Woodford with housing developer Telford Homes in August 2005, as one of the requirements for its plan to build more than 400 hundred new properties on the nearby Queen Mary's Gate site.
The money was part of a 'Section 106' agreement which requires firms to pay a proportion of construction costs to the local authority for public works.
But despite canvassing the views of a group of community leaders in South Woodford on work by prospective artists more than a year ago, no further progress on choosing the final design appears to have been made.
Councillors will now decide whether to call for a new round of proposals from artists for the site at a meeting of the cabinet at Ilford Town Hall on Monday night (January 11).
If agreed to, the process - which would involve a public consultation - is expected to take another 18 months to complete.
But Toby Walne, of Wavertree Road, South Woodford, said residents had waited long enough for a decision to be made on the installation - which is due to include a plaque highlighting Telford Homes' contribution to the scheme.
He said: "Several genres of art have come in and out of fashion since this all began.
"It's ridiculous that nothing has been decided after such a long time. People have every right to ask why?
"I think they should build something abstract - like a wall to block out the road and the Queen Mary's site.
"This should have been sorted out long ago."
Kerk Davies, head of South Woodford Business Partnership, was one of the community leaders consulted on the last set of proposed art for the site.
He said: "These processes can take a long time, but it's understandable why people would be frustrated at how long this is taking.
"It will be good to get the art work in place. My guess is that it will be worth the wait."
Councillor Alan Weinberg, Cabinet Member for Leisure, said: "Council's have such a wide range of issues to deal with that sometimes things are allowed to slip.
"Sadly, maybe that's what happened here. But this is a fresh start and it's full steam ahead for the process of selecting the art we want.
"I hope as many artists as possible will get involved in this, including the artists who were involved in the scheme originally.
"There have been many ongoing negotations in relation to this scheme to ensure that a larger percentage of the money was spent on projects outside the gated development and to secure funds for Redbridge Drama Centre.
"We are now in a position to go ahead with both streams of investment which will enhance the cultural life of the local area and provide a landmark artwork benefiting the whole community.
"The public art on the developement has already been delivered and has been well received by residents. Telfords are committed to public art both on site and in the surrounding area and as they are contributing £300,000 of investment to cultural activity in the borough, this will be recognised in some form.
"Branding will not be integrated into the artwork itself, the type of recognition is more likely to be a plaque acknowledging the contribution that has been made."
Telford Homes has yet to comment.
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