A giant golden crown erected on a roundabout in Larne is to become a permanent fixture despite claims it is making the town "a laughing stock".
The decision to retain the controversial artwork was taken by the planning committee of Mid and East Antrim Borough Council yesterday.
Rising to 26 feet, the controversial steel structure was commissioned to celebrate the diamond jubilee of Queen Elizabeth in 2012 but has drawn criticism from nationalists.
SDLP councillor Declan O'Loan described it as a "piece of kitsch" which looked like "something that came out of a giant Christmas cracker".
It was initially put in place without planning permission by the former Larne Borough Council, which used more than £13,000 of ratepayers' money to install it on the Circular Road roundabout.
Retrospective approval was sought and in 2013 planners agreed that the structure could stay in place for two years - until December 1 this year.
Yesterday the planning committee of the new council voted to retain the crown, with all seven unionist members in favour.
Alliance chairman Robert Logan abstained and sole Sinn Fein representative, James McKeown, voted against.
Since the new super councils took power this year, the planning committee's decisions do not have to be ratified by the full council.
Mr McKeown said it had set "a very poor example".
"This was a foregone conclusion really with the unionists determined to vote it through and planners, faced with threats of protests, not having any other option," he said.
Mr O'Loan, who had stressed his opposition was purely on aesthetic grounds, said an opportunity had been lost for a "fresh start".
"The shocking news from Michelin shows the real challenge facing our council in contributing to the creation of jobs," he said.
"Mid and East Antrim needs to show it can raise its sights - and unionist councillors need to take off the blinkers."
However, Ulster Unionist councillor Andrew P Wilson said the crown was being turned into "a political football".
"Some people like it, some people don't, but it's certainly not a controversial issue in the town," he said.
"In any case, it is certainly more attractive than what was in place three years ago - a piece of grass with a few silver birch trees plonked in the middle."
