Two new benches will soon be gracing St Austell's streets, in front of the Red Bank, as part of the public realm work for the £3.7m Civic Pride Initiative in the town.

Cornwall County Council's Landscape and Urban Design Unit were asked to commission new street furniture for the Civil Pride works on behalf of Restormel Borough Council.

Design options were submitted to Restormel Borough Council suggesting appropriate styles and suitable materials. The process was assisted by a tour of the china clay works with Ivor Bowditch of Imerys and a meeting with Professor Colin Bristow analysing the various stone used in St Austell's buildings.

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Local ceramic artist, Jenny Beavan who has developed a distinctive art form using china clay and china clay products from Imerys in her porcelain tile work, was commissioned to work up an appropriate design for two benches to be placed in front of the "Red Bank" in St Austell.

Jenny has worked in collaboration with De Lank Quarry, who supplied the Cornish granite, and hand finished the bench tops to frame Jenny’s exciting work inspired by the "White River". The process has demonstrated the positive benefits of local industry, artists and the public sector collaborating on this type of quality work.

The project is funded by the St Austell Civic Pride Partnership, which consists of Objective One, the South West of England Regional Development Agency, Restormel Borough Council and Cornwall County Council.

(JM)