Latest Starfish Galaxy Sculpture Trail News

STARFISH SCULPTURES

Designed by Katy Cobb, Emma Garness and Judy Flanagan at Number Nine, The Marketplace

Over the past two and a half years, we’ve been working passionately behind the scenes to bring the Starfish Galaxy Sculpture Trail to life here in Hornsea. Built on creativity, community spirit and a shared vision to celebrate our town, the project has already brought together local businesses, artists and supporters in a truly special way.

However, as we move into the next stage of the journey, we are now facing significant challenges within the East Riding of Yorkshire Council planning process that are preventing the project from progressing as expected. We want to be open and transparent with our community about where things currently stand, what has happened so far and what this means for the future of the Starfish Galaxy trail.

We would like to clarify a number of points in response to the recent statement issued by East Riding of Yorkshire Council to the BBC as part of their reporting on the planning issues regarding the Starfish Galaxy sculpture project., this week:

Firstly, we have engaged with the Council prior to submitting our planning application. While we did not undertake a formal pre-application process due to time and budget constraints, there has been consistent and direct communication with planning officers regarding both the proposed locations and the nature of the starfish sculptures since March 2025. This has included discussions and correspondence both before and after submission. It is therefore disappointing to see any suggestion that there has been a lack of engagement or information provided. We have made every reasonable effort, as a small, community-led project, to work collaboratively and transparently throughout.

More broadly, we are concerned about what appears to be a lack of consistency in how similar public art installations are treated across the East Riding area.

For example, the well-known “Moth for Amy” sculpture at Norwood House in Beverley is located on, and impacts the setting of, a Grade I listed building and its associated listed railings. Despite this, we have been unable to identify any listed building consent or planning approval for its installation. Furthermore, while it has been described as temporary, it has now been in place for approximately ten years, which strongly suggests permanence in practice.

Similarly, the puffin sculptures outside Bridlington Spa appear to have followed a comparable route, where installations described as temporary have effectively become permanent fixtures without the same level of planning requirement being applied.

In contrast, our project—which consists of artist-designed sculptures of a comparable scale—has been required to undergo full planning applications for each individual installation, including associated costs, drawings and supporting documentation.

We fully understand and respect the need for appropriate planning processes, particularly where heritage assets are concerned. However, the apparent differences in approach between projects raise questions around fairness and consistency. It is difficult for community-led initiatives such as ours to understand why similar schemes have been treated more pragmatically, while ours is subject to a more rigid interpretation of policy.

As a not-for-profit project designed to deliver cultural, educational and community benefit, the cumulative cost of multiple planning applications presents a significant challenge. We are aware that the Council has discretion in certain circumstances, including the ability to waive or reduce fees, and we believe there is a strong and justifiable case for such an approach here.

The Starfish Galaxy project is intended to celebrate our coastal identity, support local artists and create a positive, accessible cultural experience for residents and visitors alike. It is rooted in community benefit, not commercial gain.

We remain committed to working constructively with the Council and hope that a more proportionate and consistent approach can be applied, enabling this project to move forward in a way that reflects both the spirit of the initiative and the wider precedents across the region.

HOWEVER…..

We just want to take a moment to say a heartfelt thank you to everyone who has shown such incredible support for our Starfish Galaxy sculpture trail. It truly means everything to us.

A very special thank you goes to Thorfinn Caithness, Town and Country Planning Consultant, who has generously donated his time to lead the full planning application process since before Christmas. As a Member of the Royal Town Planning Institute with decades of experience, his guidance has been invaluable and we genuinely could not have come this far without his support. (Planning Consultant East Yorkshire - Thor Caithness Planning Advice)

We are also so grateful to Andrea Kirk of Hornsea and District Community News, Amanda White of BBC Humberside and John Prince of The Holderness and Hornsea Gazette. From the very beginning, they have championed the Starfish Galaxy trail and helped share our story with the wider community. More recently, they have also played an important role in highlighting the challenges we are currently facing with the ERYC Planning Department, which is preventing the project from moving forward.

A huge thank you as well to Phil Bingham of Philip Bingham Associates, right here in Hornsea. Phil has very kindly gifted his professional services to produce the planning drawings for our first Starfish application, and we are incredibly appreciative of his generosity and support.

We also want to say a big thank you to Fliss from Bee Creative, who has been donating handmade ceramic starfish to help raise funds for the Starfish Galaxy Sculpture Trail. Each beautiful piece is just £4, with every penny going directly towards the project. As a small independent business, this is such a generous commitment and we are so truly grateful for the time, care and support being given.

To everyone who popped into Number Nine and Botany Boutique today to pledge their support, ‘thank you’. The conversations, encouragement and kindness we’ve received have been so uplifting and a powerful reminder of why we started this journey in the first place.

We also want to recognise and thank our amazing sponsors and artists for Phase 1 of the Starfish sculptures, who have shown such patience and belief in the project:

Lead Sponsor – Floral Hall & Cafe / Artist – Katy Cobb
Sponsor – Pipers Garth / Artist – Judy Flanagan
Sponsor – Hornsea Village / Artist – Helen Rowland
Sponsor – New Beginnings Hair Studio / Artist – Charlotte Eldred
Sponsor – Hornsea Inshore Rescue / Artist – Tom Everard
Sponsor – Number Nine, The Marketplace / Artist – Emma Garness
And our artist sponsors – Hornsea Lions

Each and every one of you has played a part in bringing this vision to life.

If you would like to support the project, you can do so by ‘sponsoring a sucker’. Every contribution, no matter how small, helps us move one step closer. You can find the link on our website: www.starfishgalaxy.co.uk

Being part of this vibrant Hornsea community is the reason we set out on this journey nearly two and a half years ago. We believe in what this town stands for and what we can achieve together. Now more than ever, we need your continued support to help us reach the finish line.