Ilkley fountain: Spa town's water feature plan moves forward

The chosen fountain design is by local artist Juliet Gutch

Plans to install a fountain in a West Yorkshire town are moving forward, after a design was chosen based on moss which grows on its moor.

The proposed water feature, at the top of Brook Street in Ilkley, has been designed by local artist Juliet Gutch.

It is a 5ft (1.5m) galvanised steel structure, which will recycle water from a stream running from Ilkley Moor.

Improving Ilkley is behind the plan and said it was now focused on raising the funds to complete the fountain.

Site owner Bradford Council said it had been "happy to work with Improving Ilkley" on the public art.

The site used to have a marble fountain installed in 1886, but it was removed in the 1960s after being damaged by vandals.

The area has since been home to a circular flower bed, surrounded by benches.

Louise Hepworth-Wood from Improving Ilkley said their vision is that the new fountain will be a link to the moor above, providing a peaceful meeting place at the centre of Ilkley.

The fountain will sit at the top of Brook Street, where the previous one was sited

She said water for the gravity-fed fountain would come from Mill Ghyll and go through the fountain before entering the River Wharfe.

"It will all be made from galvanised steel which is very robust and requires very little cleaning. It's an environmentally-friendly design, which I think is important for the town," she added.

A model of their design will be revealed in March allowing people to feed back.

Ms Gutch said the design celebrated the "affinity of sphagnum moss with moorland water" and the connection between Ilkley Moor and the town below.

The plans have been opposed by Roger Yaxley, 82, who has claimed people want a more traditional design.

He has held a public meeting and an informal ballot by putting boxes around the town asking people to vote.

"I thought enough is enough. I will get a vote and see what Ilkley really wants," he said.

He said his results showed 757 voted with him and 280 against.

Roger Yaxley wants a more traditional design to be used

At a meeting to discuss his idea, the majority voted in favour of the contemporary design with 28 in favour and only seven against.

Still, Mr Yaxley said he feels like he has a "mandate" for his alternative proposals.

Improving Ilkley said it had researched installing a stone fountain, but said it would be difficult to maintain and run.

A spokesperson for Bradford Council said they had been working with Improving Ilkley on the project.

Regarding any alternative plan, they said that "any group seeking a licence for a project such as this would need to be properly constituted".

They added they would also need the "relevant insurances and be able to provide detailed design drawings" and provide evidence they had the funding in place for the "future maintenance".