Story So Far — Star of Caledonia

Over 20 years ago Alasdair Houston and members of the local community came together with a vision to build an internationally important landmark at the border which would act as a cultural catalyst for regeneration. Hopes are now high that The Star of Caledonia, will soon be a reality. This is the story so far.

The Star of Caledonia will provide a beautiful and dramatic welcome to Scotland. It will also be a cultural catalyst, driving tourism for southern Scotland and providing opportunities for jobs and growth.

For many years the initiative was led by Alasdair Houston (1962-2021). A farmer and the owner of a tourism/hospitality business at Gretna Green, he had a deep belief in the responsibility of businesses to impact positively on the wider community.

Alasdair died in June 2021 - for more about his life see this tribute in Scottish Field.

Initially the idea was simply to create an artistic border landmark, and one of the first major achievements was the identification of a suitably high profile site marching with the A74(M) motorway and the River Sark - which marks the border.

Early investment by Dumfries and Galloway Council, Creative Scotland, Scottish Enterprise Dumfries and Galloway and the Nuclear Decommissioning Fund enabled design development and feasibility planning to be undertaken.

The project evolved with input from the community, Scottish academics and cultural thinkers. This culminated in the appointment of the local resident and world-renowned landscape architect Charles Jencks as Creative Director.

In 2011 The Great Unknown design competition was announced to create a significant landmark for Gretna. Cecil Balmond’s Star of Caledonia was the winning concept.

Charles Jencks (1939-2019) and Cecil Balmond collaborated closely on the development of the Star of Caledonia. The result was a co-authored concept celebrating innovation, discovery and identity.

A landscape designer, cultural theorist, architectural historian (and co-founder of the Maggie’s Cancer Care Centres) Jencks did much to nurture the creative environment for discussion and debate that allowed the Star’s dynamic design to evolve.

Jencks led the landform design - an area in which he was world-renowned. Scotland is home to several of his most exciting landscapes including The Garden of Cosmic Speculation and Jupiter Artland, outside Edinburgh. Crawick Multiverse, at Sanquhar, was completed in 2015.

He described his vision as being: “To see the world in a Grain of Sand … to find relationships between the big and small, science and spirituality, the universe and the landscape. This cosmic setting provides the narrative for my content-driven work, the writing and design.”

Balmond, an internationally renowned artist, designer and engineer, developed design and identity for the Star of Caledonia and is responsible for its detailed structural integrity and design.

With support of art producer Jan Hogarth of Wide Open, and working with the Gretna community, the design evolved over multiple iterations responding to engagement through public exhibitions and events.

The proposals received a highly positive response when they were displayed at The Scottish Parliament.

The Jencks/Balmond design gained planning consent in 2013 and has since been granted extensions while the project’s supporters have been campaigning to raise the necessary funds.

In 2019 the project was included in the Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal subject to match funding being secured.

This was a major vote of confidence in the idea that the Star can provide a confident and ambitious work of art and cultural intent exploring place, environment, energy, cultural and environmental identity.

Community Windpower has now offered substantial funding, subject to final technical design and viability, to partner the £1.5m being offered by Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal to enable the construction and realisation of the Star.

South of Scotland Enterprise provided grant funding in April 2021 to allow the Trust to employ Urban Foresight to develop the business plan which is required to satisfy Borderlands funding requirements.

This is a critical piece of work to help us plan both the construction and also the long term viability of the project.

Emerging from Covid 19, another pandemic following foot and mouth outbreak 20 years ago, our ambition is to play a key role in supporting the economic, community and cultural regeneration of the region and Scotland.

It is planned that construction will start in early 2022.