A 16ft-tall sculpture of a bear should be unveiled on the outskirts of Dunbar within a matter of weeks.

Preparatory works are already under way at the site, near the A1, ahead of the eye-catching piece of artwork being put in place.

Original proposals suggested Apollo, the Greek and Roman god of the sun, could find a home on the Spott roundabout on the busy road.

However, it was eventually decided that a bear, designed by renowned Scottish artist Andy Scott, would be created on land near the town’s Asda store and McDonald’s restaurant, east of the roundabout.

The sculpture will stand on top of a mound of earth.

Ken Ross, from Hallhill Development Ltd, which is behind the proposals, told the Courier work was under way, with plans for an unveiling in the middle of November, which will be attended by Mr Scott, who is responsible for the Kelpies, near Falkirk; Arria, at Cumbernauld; and ‘Poised’, a leopard in Aberdeen’s Marischal Square.

Work was delayed slightly to allow the re-enactment of the Battle of Dunbar to take place last month.

The sculpture, which is made of welded steel and fabricated from steel plates of various thicknesses, is a nod towards John Muir, who was born in the town before emigrating to the USA and playing a key role in the formation of the country’s national park system.

Planning permission for the sculpture was originally turned down by East Lothian Council after concerns were raised that the work of art would be a distraction to drivers on the A1.

The decision was appealed to the local authority’s local review body, where Dunbar and East Linton ward member Sue Kempson said: “I find the links with John Muir extremely tenuous and I don’t find it particularly attractive.”

However, ward colleague Councillor Norman Hampshire was backed by the committee’s other two members – Jeremy Findlay and Stuart Currie – in backing the plans, which were then given final approval by the Scottish Government, with conditions from Transport Scotland.

Discussions surrounding the sculpture have been ongoing for more than two years, with the plans splitting the town’s community council when they were discussed.

Pippa Swan, now chairwoman of the group, originally said: “For me it is a bizarre proposal and it looks like a polar bear or like an advertisement for a safari park.”

Fellow community councillor Herbert Coutts was more positive and pointed to the impact of the Kelpies and the Angel of the North, near Gateshead.

He said: “I know at the time the Kelpies were being proposed there was a lot of opposition to that but now they are being recognised as being icons for Scotland.

“I drive along that road very regularly and look forward to seeing them.”