PLANS by Redditch Council for a Holocaust Memorial in Church Green East looked as if they could be refused last night - by Redditch Council.

The contradiction has arisen because planning officers have recommended councillors refuse the application for "aesthetic" reasons.

A report states 'the proposed development, by virtue of its size and position, will interrupt important views of a listed structure and compete for visual attention in a relatively small space'.

But councillors can overlook their officers' advice if they wish and approve the positioning of the sculpture, although another location near the Town Hall in Alcester Street has been suggested.

Council planning officer Kevin Jones said the objection was to the 'cluttered' effect the positioning of the memorial would have near the listed fountain on Church Green, which has just been restored.

Mr Jones said planners supported the memorial wholeheartedly - but not in the proposed location.

These 'conservation concerns' he said had been raised with the holocaust memorial steering group responsible for the project before the application submittal.

The memorial, designed by Redditch school pupil Chase Lloyd, is due to be installed by Holocaust Memorial Day on January 24.

Sculptor Andy Decomyn, who is making the memorial based on Chase Lloyd's design and who sits on the memorial steering group, said: "We fought for it to be on Church Green because it's a very sensitive subject which needs to be given a quiet and reflective space which does it justice - not some busy thoroughfare."