Tinsley Canal: Twisted Narrowboat Sculpture Plan approved

A looping narrowboat sculpture is to be installed on the Sheffield and Tinsley Canal after council officers gave the go-ahead to the plans.

The work by artist Alex Chinneck was commissioned by Sheffield City Council on behalf of the Tinsley Art Project.

Planning officers said the design, first announced in March, would provide a “playful attraction for visitors”.

It will be positioned between the locks near Tinsley Marina, although there is currently no set date for installation.

Replicating the scale and style of a traditional boat, the steel and aluminum structure creates “a six-metre high, gravity-defying aerial loop”, according to a planning document.

“The looped boat sits on the water – apparently floating – in a channel that is part of Tinsley Flight.

“Painted in traditional colours, the sculptural canal boat adds colour, charm and magnetism to the historic canal setting.”

The document said the purpose of the Tinsley Art Project was to create a public artwork that would benefit and reinforce Tinsley’s identity following the demolition of the Tinsley cooling towers that previously dominated the landscape, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Chinneck’s previous works include a floating building in Covent Garden, melting houses and an upside down car.