Work could start this year on 80ft Welsh dragon sculpture overlooking Shropshire

Simon Wingett, the man behind the ambitious proposals to build the landmark near Chirk, was speaking after councillors voted unanimously to grant a five-year extension to the planning permission so it could go ahead.

A crowdfunding scheme will now get under way in a bid to raise the lion's share of the £2.5 million needed to make it a reality.

Mr Wingett, 60, said: "It's a big relief. I think people have short memories. I got planning permission in the depths of the worst recession in living memory in 2011.

"So the first three to four years of my planning permission was really rather difficult if you had anything that was slightly unusual in the construction world.

"Obviously building a landmark of this size and nature was."

But he said now he would be able to crack on – and was excited about the task in hand.

"It's going to be a landmark to rival the Angel of the North, Christ overlooking Rio de Janeiro, the Eiffel Tower," Mr Wingett said.

"This is on the historical gateway into Wales which the Romans built. It's a 2,000-year-old road, so it will be an absolutely staggering sight to see our Welsh dragon reanimated rather than like on our flag, reanimated into a boxing stance, looking at England and beyond. Looking straight at Shropshire.

"The viewing platform is 40ft off the ground, so you will have wonderful views over the Welsh Marches, the Shropshire plain towards Shrewsbury and Wrekin and beyond.

"The whole project is £2.5 million and we can now finalise the details for our crowdfunding campaign which we hope to raise in excess of £1 million.

"If all goes to plan, we are hoping to go on site this year."