Listing bid to save herd of steel dinosaurs

The attraction has been popular with generations of Teessiders since appearing in the 1970s

A listing bid has been submitted as campaigners try to save a herd of steel dinosaurs.

Teessaurus Park, a 10-acre plot of land hosting an array of enormous dinosaur sculptures, has been cherished by generations of Middlesbrough residents.

But the dinosaurs could be moved from the site, if council plans to accommodate Gypsy and traveller pitches on the land come to fruition.

The Twentieth Century Society (C20) has now submitted a bid to Historic England to have three of the sculptures listed to ensure their conservation. Middlesbrough Council said it would "engage" with the process.

Teessaurus Park opened to the public in 1979.

The first three dinosaurs were designed by artist Genevieve Glatt, who won the Arts Council's 1974 Art Into Landscape competition.

Designed by Ms Glatt to provide a safe place for children to play, the original sculptures also represented a "rare major 20th Century public art commission for a female artist", a C20 spokesman said.

Ms Glatt's artworks were added to over the decades and the site on the bank of the River Tees now features six sculptures and a playground.

Petition

More than 7,000 people signed a petition to protect the park after Middlesbrough Council announced its draft local plan in January.

The plan, which sets out a policy for development in the town up until 2041, says the park could be used for 14 Gypsy or traveller pitches, needed to meet government targets.

The proposals, which were subject to a public consultation, would see the collection of dinosaurs remain publicly accessible, but not necessarily at the same site.

One of the sculptures being created by T Hart and Co in their workshop in 1978

C20, the national charity for the protection of Britain's modern architecture, public art and design heritage, has applied to Historic England to list the three original industrial-style sculptures in response to the threat of relocation.

The application for listing highlights the historic importance of the three steel triceratops, the largest of which stands at 30ft by 13ft (9m by 4m).

All were created by Stockton steel firm T Hart and Co.

School children watched as the triceratops began its journey to the banks of the Tees in the 1970s

"This Jurassic family of sculptural steel triceratops were a rare public-art commission for a female artist in the late 1970s, and a playful response to Teesside’s industrial heritage," Coco Whittaker, senior caseworker at C20, said.

"We hope the dinosaurs at Teessaurus Park will now be listed, joining the marvellous menagerie of other animals on the national register."

A Middlesbrough Council spokesman said the authority was aware of the listing application and would engage with the process in due course.

He said the council was considering all issues raised during the public consultation concerning Teessaurus Park before moving to the next stage of plan preparation.