The heart metaphor is to 'connect people back to nature'

Artist Chris Drury says his project, called "Heart of Reeds" will use the metaphor of a heart to "connect people back to nature".

But the site is on the Railway Land nature reserve - and objectors say the project will turn their much-loved wildlife habitat into "a formal garden".

The total cost of the project is over �143,000 - �49,000 of which is to come from the Arts Council.

A waste company, Viridor, is providing most of the remaining cash through the landfill tax credit scheme and other smaller, charitable grants have come from Harveys Brewery and charitable trusts.

Protesters say the marshy, wildlife habitat will become a formal garden

Lewes District Council has already given planning permission for the project and the authority has defended the scheme for its educational, artistic and environmental value.

Councillor Elizabeth Lee said: "Lewes Railway Land is high on the list of residents' priorities and we thought that to have something which would be innovative would be a benefit to the town."

And the artist has reassured residents that the design - taken from a cross section of a human heart - is "subtle" and "organic".

But protester John Stockdale said: "The plan was to let it grow back to nature in a slightly managed way.

"The proposal here is to turn it into a large-scale formal garden."

The design would replicate a cross-section of a human heart

Felicity Harvest, Arts Council regional director, said: "Arts Council England South East has supported this project over a considerable period of time, during which substantial public consultation has taken place and a largely favourable response has been received.

"The project will represent an important and substantial work of art for the town."

A new ditch will be made, so aquatic species, including newts, can move from their existing ditch, after which a mound and sluices will be constructed and an old railway bridge moved, before the reeds are planted.

The artist's website says the project should be a viable ecosystem by 2007.