Thumbs up response to monster ‘sea Kelpies’ plan

Some Falkirk Herald readers were convinced the bid to hire Kelpies creator Andy Scott to create 100ft-high whale sculptures at Leven in Fife was an April Fool when we revealed outline details of the scheme last week.

However the highly ambitious plan by Tory councillor Graham Ritchie to build a Kelpies-style tourist attraction and bring business to the town is said to have met with enthusiasm and “near unanimous approval” at an initial public meeting, staged on Thursday.

Around 60 people turned up to hear Councillor Graham explain how he planned to turn his Leven Mouth Promenade plan into reality, at an estimated cost of up to £55m.

The giant whales he wants to bring to the area would be sited at the end of a 1,000ft “pleasure pier”, if the scheme ever went ahead.

Councillor Graham said the response was heavily in favour of taking the project to “the next stage of consultation”.

Last week, explaining the reasoning behind the scheme, he said: “Leven could be a destination, not just for locals, but for national and international visitors.

“The Kelpies in Falkirk and the V&A in Dundee have put their towns on the world map, and boosted their local economies in the process.

“There’s no reason why with a bit of imagination, energy and ambition Leven can’t follow their example.

“A civic enterprise of this size needs everyone to pull together, and the local communities in Levenmouth have a crucial part to play”.