A SCULPTURE of a giant pink pen will be put up outside an Oxford University institution.

Plans by the Blavatnik School of Government to install the sculpture outside its Walton Street building have been approved.

Erecting a new piece of public art was part of the agreement the Blavatnik School signed in exchange for planning permission for its base in the University's Radcliffe Observatory Quarter.

A spokeswoman for the school said: "“When the Blavatnik School building was granted planning approval, one of the conditions was that we would commission a piece of freely accessible public art."

The artist chosen to carry out a design for the artwork was Michael Craig-Martin, a modern artist best known for a conceptual piece called An Oak Tree.

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The artist has created similarly colourful wire frame sculptures to the planned piece of oversized stationery in other parts of the world.

The spokeswoman added: "We’re delighted Sir Michael Craig-Martin’s installation has been given planning permission – he is already known in Oxford for his mural at the JR Children’s Hospital and we hope his new installation will further contribute to the city’s environment and community.”

When the plan for the new sculpture was first floated earlier this year, it prompted some discussion from nearby residents, who wrote letters to Oxford City Council's planning department to express their thoughts on it.

While some were worried it would be open to vandalism, others praised its design as 'witty'.

Though planning permission has now been granted, it is unknown when the sculpture will be installed outside the Blavatnik School because of the pandemic.