The much-anticipated public art sculpture at David Wilson Homes’ Leithfield Park development in Godalming, Surrey has yesterday (Wednesday 24th November) been unveiled to the public. The sculpture, which was created in partnership with artist Will Nash, forms part of the housebuilder’s S106 contribution to the local area. The sculpture was unveiled at a public event by local councillors, representatives from the Guildford Environmental Forum, and residents at the development.

The event saw attendees meet with senior representatives from David Wilson Southern Counties to unveil the sculpture, and attend a talk delivered by the artist. The sculpture, which has been designed to provide a safe habitat for wildlife at the development, was completed during a four-day workshop with residents and volunteers, and is comprised of wood, bamboo, pinecones, and other materials packed into a free-standing steel structure.

Now complete, the sculpture will provide a home for wild pollinating insects including bumble and solitary bees, butterflies and moths. The final artwork will remain at the development for all visitors and residents to enjoy and watch nature thrive.

Kimberley Benson, Sales and Marketing Director at David Wilson Southern Counties, comments: “We are pleased to unveil the first sculpture of its kind at a David Wilson Southern Counties development. A true community effort, the sculpture is a marriage between art and environmental conservation, and aligns with our own commitment as a sustainable housebuilder to create a home for nature at our developments. I would like to thank all of those involved, including residents at Leithfield Park, for helping to bring this project to life.”

Will Nash adds: “It has been a pleasure to work so closely with residents, the council and David Wilson Southern Counties to deliver this project. It’s fantastic to create a sculpture that will also act as a functioning ecosystem for insects, who we rely on to pollinate our plants and crops. We had over 40 residents take part in the workshops to ‘pack’ the sculpture with habitat materials, with our youngest volunteer aged just two years old. I look forward to returning in the spring to take part in further planting at the sculpture.”

Residents and volunteers will return to the sculpture in spring 2022, where a number of bee-friendly flowering plants will be integrated into the sculpture and its surrounds to support pollinating wildlife.

David Wilson Southern Counties is currently building new homes at its Kilners Grange development in Tongham, just a short drive from Leithfield Park. Currently available at Kilners Grange is a selection of two, three and four-bedroom homes, with prices starting from £384,995 for a two-bedroom semi-detached home.