A leading environmentalist and former Corporation of Hamilton councillor has called on Government to consider the scale and setting of the "larger than life" Sally Bassett statue planned for the Cabinet Building grounds.

Government is set to erect the bronze statue of Ms Bassett, a slave burned at the stake in 1730, in front of the Cabinet Building pending final planning approval.

While Minister of Culture and Social Rehabilitation Dale Butler referred to the statue as being "more than life size" in The Royal Gazette, the actual height of the bronze sculpture is 15 feet.

The monument well over twice the height of Desmond Fountain's 6 ft. 5 in. sculpture of Johnny Barnes on East Broadway will be between the Cabinet Building and the Cenotaph, closest to the Court Street entrance.

Application documents at the Department of Planning reveal that the monument will not only feature a 15-foot bronze statue, but a landscaped garden, walkway and paved seating area with benches.

The paperwork mentions that the proposed site of the memorial on the grounds of the Cabinet Building is listed, meaning designated as 'being of particular historical, cultural, or natural value or interest'.

Former Corporation of Hamilton councillor and green activist Graeme Outerbridge hopes the historical value of the Cabinet Office site will be taken into full consideration before final planning permission is granted.

"Right now, it'd be more constructive for the Government to work with the Corporation of Hamilton to find an appropriate place for the sculpture. I am not saying it should be 'out of sight, out of mind' ¿ but a location that doesn't affect a historical site."

Mr. Outerbridge also voiced concerns about the scale of the sculpture relative to its surroundings.

"Placing it arbitrarily on the lawn, out of scale, is a problem aesthetically," he said. "People should have the right to object, with a balance between the applicant and the objector."

The paperwork submitted to the Department of Planning states that the Corporation of Hamilton and the Historic Building Advisory Committee have been approached to make comments on the proposal as 'consultees', but notes that their advice has yet to be received.

"The Corporation of Hamilton has an important role to play," Mr. Outerbridge said. "It provides advice and consultation on what goes on in the city. This is the same as a building going up. The location should be thoroughly vetted and critiqued."

A landscape plan included with the documents shows 'a custom bronze statue approximately 15 feet in height set on a poured in place reinforced concrete plinth'. Artist renderings of the planned monument show the statue set in a landscaped garden surrounded by new plant beds, royal palms and benches.

The plan notes that existing yew trees in the Cabinet Building grounds will be left alone, while additions will include a sand flower bed surrounded by a black aluminium edge.

The proposed schedule shows that three types of palms, six types of shrubs, eight kinds of ground cover and two different sorts of bulbs will be planted around the monument. The list of 'ground cover' includes day lilies and ginger, while Easter lily and Bermudiana bulbs will also feature.

A colour landscape sketch shows the statue of Ms Bassett towering over visitors and surrounded by bright flowers, palms and plants, with a circular paved walkway and benches around the monument itself. The sculpture is currently being completed in Dockyard by Bermudian artist Carlos Dowling.