Artist at odds with Kent council over ‘doodle’ home in ‘Britain’s only desert’
Locals worried metal facade of bungalow won’t fit in and could be a danger to wildlife
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.An artist is facing a backlash from local residents after his plans to build a house on Dungeness beach with metal doodles covering the exterior was revealed.
Sam Cox, also known as Mr Doodle and originally from Tenterden in Kent, is seeking to replace an existing home with a three-bedroom structure incorporating existing railway carriages and laser-cut metal doodles on the exterior.
But some residents have criticised the proposal as a “vanity project” with no artistic inspiration or “spiritual understanding” of the beach location sometimes referred to as “Britain’s only desert”.
Another likened the plans to the “Disneyfication” of Dungeness, adding: “Yes, there is a tradition of artists making their mark on the beach, personalising their homes with flotsam and jetsam, as part of an organic process that comes of this landscape, of its haphazard growth and rusting past.
“The proposal, in contrast, is an explicit, very public statement of the artist’s aesthetic which has no connection to place.”
Concerns were also raised about wildlife within the area’s site of special scientific interest (SSSI), with one objector suggesting animals could get stuck and injured in the metal artwork.
Lydd Town Council also voted against the plan citing concerns that “the metal facade would not be in keeping with the historical value of Dungeness as it is SSSI and could possibly impact the historical and environmental value to the area of Dungeness”.
But architects Holloway Studios, which has submitted designs on behalf of Cox, said the replacement house “embodies a thoughtful response to its context”.
A statement supporting the design said: “The rustication of the facade panels draws upon the influence of rusting structures and objects scattered across the Dungeness coastline.
“We believe that this design will enrich the architectural fabric of Dungeness while providing a comfortable and environmentally responsible living space for its occupants.”
Architect Guy Holloway, who designed the home with Cox, also defended the plans, adding that the doodles will be “visually subtle” and a similar size to the artist’s other Dungeness home which has had no problems with wildlife being trapped, according to The Times.
The plans also said the exposed railway carriages to celebrate the heritage of the site and include solar panels and a biodiverse garden for the site’s special ecosystem.
One supporter of the plans wrote the removal of the existing home was welcomed, adding: “This proposal is a much higher quality design and makes some innovative attempts to fit into this very sensitive and visible site.”
Another added of the planning application: “Despite the quirky nature of the elevations using laser cut, rusted steel cladding, it does provide a reference to the various metal objects which are part of the Dungeness landscape.”
The plans will be discussed at Folkestone and Hythe District Council planning committee meeting on Tuesday.