Sculptures or street furniture put up in the first of Swindon’s New Eastern Villages should reflect the local nature and landscape, according to a brief for artists.

As part of the planning permission to build 370 homes at the Redlands village to the east of the A419 developers Vistry Homes Limited and Bellway Homes are required to submit a plan for public art to Swindon Borough Council .

That plan – and an accompanying brief to artists who might be interested in the work – has now been put in for the council’s approval.

The strategy says art in public spaces should have “a strong ‘village’ ethos and be found in an accessible and ‘democratic’ space. It should reflect local flora and fauna, foster non car use and exploration and emphasise green corridors and biodiversity.

To prevent whatever is commissioned and made becoming a burden it should also “be robust and require minimal maintenance.”

The plan and brief shows examples of numerous public art works – from the standing stone installation of The Listening Stones outside GCHQ in Cheltenham, to Duncan Jones’ abstract birds to Animal Mansion, a series of tiny shelters surrounding a living tree constructed by London Fieldworks.

It also shows benches which are a cut above the ordinary and even the railings of the bridge over the canal at Wichelstowe as examples of interesting and engaging street furniture.

The plan put forward by the developers says: “The recommendation is to site the public art within the village square. The square is adjacent to the new primary school. It will act as a focal point and a meeting and dwell space in the village. Its location acts as a gateway to exploring green space and woodland. It is a pedestrian area.

It adds: “Although the exact nature of the commission will depend upon the artist and conversations with the design team, it is envisaged that the commission will comprise: A vertical work within the landscaping which comprises trees set within blocks of planting, an extended verge, timber block seating and bollards and a range of hard landscaping materials.

“This work could take the form of a functional obelisk to grow plants upon or a standalone artwork. There is encouragement to emphasise figurative work however abstracted and to find ways of developing a series of linked references across the square. There is potential to place a ‘trail’ of insets within the cyclepath and/or the hard landscaping.”

It suggests reference is made to local wildlife such as otters, grass snakes, badgers, lapwings and newts and adds: “As the primary school is so close, it would be welcome to see works which reward repeat viewing and has engaging reference to species which could be found without being too childlike.”

The developers have put up a budget of £21,000 for the work plus any street furniture and signs and another £500 for events such as unveiling or to engage people with the final piece.

Wanborough Parish Council has no objections to the plans but has asked the borough council to involve its members in selecting the final work to be constructed.

The strategy and artists’ briefing must be approved by planners or the planning committee at Swindon Borough Council before artists will be invited to submit designs.