Milton Road Public Art Update

What's Being Proposed

The Greater Cambridge Partnership commissioned a £20,000 public art project for Milton Road after experiencing difficulties contacting the City Council's public art officer. They turned to the Greater Cambridge Shared Planning service for assistance.

Key details:

• Artist: Nathaniel Rackowe (commissioned April 2025)
• Project: "Portal" - a 3-metre high steel and concrete sculpture
• Location: Milton Road Library Garden
• Foundation: 2.2m concrete pad
• Budget: £20,000 (already committed to artist commission)

The concept shows a modernist arch structure that would occupy a significant portion of the garden space currently used for book sales, community events, and children's activities.

How We Got Here

I've attended the project meetings since Ward Councillors were informed of the proposals in July. Here's what has happened so far:

Summer 2024 - Initial planning discussions began 
December 2024 - Steering group established
January 2025 - Technical queries raised about locations and permissions 
April 2025 - Artist commissioned following procurement procedures 
May-July 2025 - Concept development and technical drawings produced 
July 2025 - Local councillors first properly briefed via email 
August 2025 - Concerns raised about consultation process
September 2025 - Public Meeting now to be held

I've attended meetings since July, when the original proposal was for there to be community workshops held after planning permission was secured. This seemed backwards: all ward Councillors agreed that residents should have input before key decisions are made, not after and I think this could have led to a contentious planning application.

Why I Intervened

When I learned about the proposal, several issues concerned me:

Community impact - The library garden regularly hosts book sales, children's activities, and community events. A large permanent sculpture would significantly affect this flexibility.

Consultation timing - Community engagement workshops scheduled for after planning permission seemed the wrong way round.

Local involvement - Neither local councillors nor the Friends of Milton Road Library had meaningful input into artist selection or concept development.

I felt it essential to pause the planning application to allow proper community discussion first.

Current Situation

The artist has been commissioned and concept development work completed. The project is on hold pending community feedback and discussions with the Friends of Milton Road Library.

Important note: The artist commission is already in place. Any changes would need to work within existing contractual arrangements. This situation occurred during a period when the council's public art function was being reorganised, which may explain some of the communication difficulties ad I have highlighted the need to improve this going forward..

Questions Worth Considering

Before Monday's meeting, residents might want to think about:

• How would a 3-metre sculpture work within the current garden layout?
• How might the installation affect current community use of the area?
• Are there alternative locations that could be more suitable?
• What opportunities existed for community input in the artistic vision?
• Are there ways to modify the design based on community feedback?

Looking Forward

Good public art can genuinely enhance community spaces, but it needs genuine community engagement from the outset. The Friends of Milton Road Library, who understand this space better than anyone, should have been central to this process from day one.

Monday's meeting is your chance to share views on both the specific proposal and how we handle such projects in future. Whether you support the proposal, have concerns, or want to see modifications, your voice matters.

When: Monday 15th September, 7:30-9:30pm
Where: Milton Road Library

I'll be there to listen to residents' views and work with colleagues to find the best way forward that respects both artistic vision and community needs.

Cllr Jamie Dalzell
Liberal Democrat, West Chesterton
Email: jamie.dalzell@cambridge.gov.uk