PLANS to erect a bronze statue of a lifeguard at a St Ives beach to commemorate the RNLI’s 25th anniversary have been abandoned following criticism it would be installed in the wrong place.

RNLI has stated the sculpture depicting a female RNLI lifeguard standing watch over the sea will no longer be unveiled at Porthmeor Beach and will be installed at a beach further up the north Cornwall coast.

Cornwall Council has given planning approval to erect the statue entitled Let Not The Deep Swallow Me Up by Zennor-based artist Holly Bendall at Porthmeor Beach but St Ives Town Council objected to the plans stating the selection of St Ives as a location to mark the anniversary appears to have been “arbitrary” as the statue was inspired by the “heroic” rescue lifeguard Sophie Grant-Crookston carried out saving a surfer’s life at Perranporth Beach in 2006.

The town council stated it would prefer that any proposed design reflected the story and character of St Ives.

Cllr Paul Viney, chair of St Ives Town Council’s planning committee, said: “The town council fully supports the amazing work of the RNLI including their outstanding record of bravery and saving lives. However, it does not follow that a planning decision must support a proposed sculpture, however important the cause.

“The planning committee felt that the scale and design of the commemorative sculpture did not enhance the proposed setting on Porthmeor beach and the narrative and the figure depicted were not related in anyway to the town of St Ives and, therefore, what would have been an important piece of public art did not have a sense of place.

“This is what the planning committee discussed and took the difficult decision not to support the application. Subsequently, the application was granted planning permission by Cornwall Council, but we now understand that the sculpture will not be sited in St Ives but in the village of Perranporth, the home of the lifesaver depicted in the design. We are pleased that this important piece has found its rightful home.”

Cllr Andrew Mitchell, who represents St Ives on Cornwall Council, posted on social media: “This is still generating much concern and questions locally. Although I have the greatest respect for the organisation and the amazing people who serve heroically, I personally thought this statue was definitely the wrong thing in the wrong place.

“I can confirm that although Cornwall Council granted planning permission on an officer decision, the RNLI is no longer going to proceed at Porthmeor and have negotiated with Perranzabuloe Parish Council to have the statue placed there as the lifesaver’s home town. I think common sense has prevailed and thank the RNLI for this decision and all they do.”

The RNLI states a final location for the sculpture has yet to be decided. It said several coastal locations are being considered as possible sites for the sculpture as a variety of factors needed to be taken into account. Perranzabuloe Parish Council is currently unable to verify if the sculpture will be unveiled on Perranporth beach or a nearby location.