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Rhymney’s Twisted Chimney could be dismantled after being in disrepair for nearly a year.

The £180,000 sculpture was damaged by bad weather in early 2023. 

New York artist Brian Tolle designed the sculpture, which was completed in 2010. 

So far, only minor work has been done to make the structure safe, according to Caerphilly County Borough Council. 

Now, Rhymney and Butetown residents are asked for their views to help inform the council’s long-term decision.

The first option is to seek funding to return the chimney to its former condition. This would require external funding and the estimated cost is around £110,000.

The second option is to dismantle the sculpture which would cost an estimated £10,500.

Residents in the area and stakeholders who were involved in the original structure work can take part in the online survey.

Alternatively, they can attend drop-in sessions at Ael y Bryn Community Centre on February 14 from 11am to 2pm and Rhymney Library on February 21 from 10am to 1pm. 

The consultation ends on February 29 and within four weeks of the closing date, the council will assess which proposal to take forward. The authority will then seek funding. 

Most expensive artwork since 2008

The Twisted Chimney is the most expensive of all 32 pieces of public art installed across Caerphilly County Borough since 2008. 

It was installed by the council with Heads of the Valleys funding.

Back in March 2023, Caerphilly Observer reported on the damage to the Twisted Chimney. 

The sculpture saw some of its structure come away and showed residents that the chimney, which to the naked eye appeared to be made out of red bricks, was not.

It is instead carved in polycarbonate, coated in a waterproof covering and then hand-painted.

Such materials are “specialist” and “would still need to be looked after”, according to an artist who works in sculpture at Cardiff Metropolitan University. 

In May, Caerphilly Observer revealed that the structure had not been inspected since October 2020 before its damage, after submitting a Freedom of Information (FOI) request to Caerphilly County Borough Council.

It had been inspected just eight times as part of a wider public artwork inspection regime, which was undertaken across the borough by the council’s building control team. 

Then in December, we reported that just £64.50 had been spent on the sculpture since it was damaged and that there was still no timeline for overall repair. 

At the time, a spokesperson for Caerphilly County Borough Council said: “Temporary steps have been taken to make the structure safe, while we explore longer-term options for the sculpture.

“A key part of this process will be engaging the local community and seeking their views on these options.”