New location found for ‘Lovers’ sculpture during £9m redevelopment

Twm Owen, Local Democracy Reporter

A new home has been found for a wooden sculpture of two lovers in an embrace in a popular park. 

Plans to move the sculpture from the rear wall of a toilet block and place it in storage were first approved in October 2024 ahead of work to convert the toilets to a cafe and restaurant. 

However several delays have interrupted the £9 million project to convert the Hanbury Road toilets, overlooking the Italian Gardens in Pontypool Park, with councillors having approved scaled back plans in April this year. 

As part of that permission, the fourth time the scheme had been before the planning committee, a number of conditions were imposed which have to be met before construction work can begin. 

Those include plans for the temporary relocation of the structure from the Italian Gardens. 

Torfaen Borough Council’s planning department had agreed the sculpture could be moved from the Italian Gardens and placed in storage two years ago. 

As part of the discharge of the planning condition the council’s planning agents have informed the planners the sculpture has been relocated to a temporary home between the park ponds and the ski slope and is on a concrete base. 

The application to discharge the condition confirms the intention is to move the modern sculpture, that honours the couple who created the Italian Gardens, back to its original location. 

The application states the work will be carried out by the council’s parks department and explains: “Appropriate measures will be implemented throughout the relocation process to ensure the safe handling, transportation and reinstatement of the artwork. 

“The sculpture will be detached from its temporary fixing, carefully lifted onto a council vehicle and transported to its original location within the Italian Gardens .” 

The sculpture, crafted by Newport-based artist Chris Wood, is one of four along an art trail running from the car park of Pontypool Leisure Centre to the Italian Gardens and the town centre. 

It celebrates Capel Hanbury Leigh, whose family owned Pontypool Park, and his second wife Emma Elizabeth.  

They spent their honeymoon, after marrying in 1847, at the Isola Bella Gardens in Lake Maggiore and were inspired to create the Italian Gardens, in the extensive grounds of Pontypool House, between 1849/50 with plants brought back from Italy. 

Other conditions the application states have been met are a demolition and construction management statement relating to noise controls and working hours for the work on the toilet block, steps to protect and replace trees and how lighting during construction will be managed. 

The application is being considered by the planning department.

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