A giant scaffolding cube has emerged in Melksham presenting a message to residents about CO2 emissions.

The cube measures 27-foot square and has been erected for the town's ClimateFest which had been due to take place on September 17, but was postponed to October 2 due to the death of Queen Elizabeth II. 

The Deputy Town Clerk of Melksham, Patsy Clover said: “As part of the promotion, we have erected a scaffolding cube which represents one tonne of CO2. Each of us produces one tonne of CO2 every month. 

“It draws people’s attention to how much CO2 we are producing, which is obviously not very good, and it is a talking point as well.”

A talking point it is, however, as the residents of Melksham have not taken a positive view to the structure following confusion behind its meaning. 

One resident commented: “It’s an eyesore blighting the Market Place (and nobody knows or understands why it’s there!)”

Many comments included concerns surrounding the hypocrisy of the structure due to the amount of CO2 it would have taken to make and erect it. 

One comment stated: “Not sure a scaffolding lorry having to drive there at least twice and holding up the traffic in the process of unloading is really going to help reduce CO2." 

The cube is built from steel scaffolding. Further confusion emerges through steel production being one of the world’s leading industrial sources of greenhouse gases, generating nearly two tonnes of CO2 emissions per tonne of steel produced.

There were even more concerns over the placement of the structure as it is positioned over the display on the roundabout that was placed for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. 

One resident even raised concerns it is disrespectful following the recent death of the late Queen Elizabeth II.

A resident summarised: “So we’ve taken something that was celebrating our monarchy and surrounded it with scaffolding upon the death of our monarch.”