More than a year after the big day, the location of a statue of the Queen commissioned by Gravesham council to mark her 90th birthday has finally been revealed.

In January last year the council announced mystery private benefactors were paying £200,000 for the bronze statue to be sculpted and placed in the centre of the town, but progress has since been slow and the required funding still hadn’t been completely secured in December.

Her Majesty turned 91 on April 21 and now a planning application has at last been submitted to have the statue built on a stone plinth on upper St Andrew’s Gardens, off Crooked Lane and facing Queen Street, with one tree to be removed to make space.

But despite the application being submitted, the council is still being cagey as to where the money is coming from and when the statue will be built.

“We are actively raising funds at present and we’re confident that no public funds will be needed,” said a spokesman.

“We will provide updates as appropriate but will not be releasing any details or images until after the unveiling ceremony.”

Renowned sculptor Douglas Jennings, who created the award-winning memorial on lower St Andrew’s Gardens of Battle of Britain pilot Mahinder Singh Pujji DFC, has been commissioned to create the artwork, which will be one and a half times larger than Queen Elizabeth herself.

It is thought to be the only statue in the world to show her seated and she will be dressed in full Order of the Garter robes.

Council leader Cllr David Turner (Con) has said that the statue will be “an outstanding tribute to Her Majesty”.

Last year Mr Jennings said he was honoured to have been asked to create the artwork.

He said: “It is tremendous to be working again on a project for Gravesend to add to the Pujji memorial, which has won awards and the hearts of the local people.”

A statue of Queen Victoria in the borough market was given a makeover to coincide with its reopening last month.