A GARDEN of five-metre-high propellerhead flowers has been chosen as the latest piece of public art for Poole.

The quirky sculpture is set to be installed outside the new John Lewis store at the Commerce Centre retail park in Branksome in October, ahead of the opening of the new store.

It was chosen from a short list of five imaginative designs put forward by Bristol-based designers Cod Steaks, who are best known for creating the sets and models for the Aardman Animation features, including the last Wallace and Gromit film.

Their ideas, which included a pile of cascading plates, an avenue of trees, and a fish leaping from a canvas, were consulted on last December, and the Propellerhead Garden proved the most popular.

It was finally chosen after discussion with Borough of Poole, John Lewis and retail park owner Land Securities.

Funding for the work comes from developer payments to the council, which are earmarked for public art – not from the tax payer.

The designers said they wanted to create something “light uplifting, modern and elegant, but still commemorating Poole’s unique heritage.”

But the unusual artwork hasn’t been welcomed in all quarters.

Branksome West councillor Phil Eades said “concern was is rising” in his ward, where some felt the design had “no connection with local area”.

He added: “They should respect the history of the Pottery estate and bring forward something appropriate and relevant to the lives of the many residents who still remember the old pottery and railways.”

But Ruth Spiller of Cod Steaks said: “We spent considerable time researching into Poole past and present, and presented a number of concepts for consideration – the potteries featured in some of the other proposals, but it was this concept that really grabbed people’s imagination.”

She added the chosen design was a nod to the founding aviation and shipping industries which helped build the area, and to the first flying boat transatlantic crossing which departed from Poole Harbour.