'Angel of South' is big white horse

The winning design, by former Turner Prize winner Mark Wallinger, was selected from a three-strong shortlist as part of the Ebbsfleet Landmark Project.

His design will see a horse standing on all four hooves at 33 times life-size.

Once built, the artwork will dominate the north Kent landscape, standing as high as Nelson's Column at around 164ft.

The announcement was made at Swan Valley Community School in Swanscombe in Kent, which overlooks the Springhead Park area where the giant statue will be built.

The sculpture will be seen by up to 60 million people per year and will be more than twice as tall as Antony Gormley's 66ft high Angel Of The North sculpture in Gateshead in 1998.

Wallinger said: "This is a tremendously exciting project. There was some very tough competition and I am honoured that the horse has won through."

The other two shortlisted designs included a steel latticework "nest" by Richard Deacon and a tower of stacked cubes by Daniel Buren.

Project leaders hope the work will act as a symbol for the new Ebbsfleet Valley development and Ebbsfleet International railway station.

The next stage is to start the planning process with the local authority, Gravesham Borough Council, which is expected to last at least 12 months.