See Monster, on a decommissioned North Sea gas platform, is one of the UK’s biggest ever public art works

At 35 metres high, See Monster is 15 metres taller than the Angel of the North, and is built on a 450-tonne platform. Photograph: Ben Birchall/PA

It towers above the Grand Pier and dwarfs the seafront's observation wheel. See Monster, a decommissioned North Sea gas platform that has been transformed into one of the largest public art pieces in the UK, has generated a heady combination of confusion, intrigue, and ire as it has taken shape on the beach at Weston-super-Mare.

Visitors are being allowed to board this weekend following delays brought on by the whims of this summer's harsh weather (too hot at times, too windy at others).

The project's creative director, Patrick O'Mahony, acknowledged that not everyone would like the work. "We anticipated that it would divide views. Instead of people being indifferent, I'd rather they love it or detest it. Nothing is worse than accomplishing something that receives no response.

The ninth installment in the Unboxed: Creativity in the UK series, sometimes known as the Festival of Brexit, has drawn a lot of criticism and jeers, not least because it cost a staggering £120 million to the taxpayers of the four UK countries.

O'Mahony expressed his sadness at Unboxed's mockery. "The other nine commissioners are not far from us. It's astonishing that there has been this much investment in the arts and entertainment after such a difficult period. These projects have taken years to complete. To judge someone, look at their work.

Since the 450-ton See Monster platform was brought to the Somerset town in July after being brought from the North Sea on a barge the size of a football field, people have been passing judgment on it. It is difficult to overlook because of its size; at 35 meters, it is 15 meters higher than the Angel of the North.

In addition to 6,000 pieces of aluminum that shimmer in the wind like mythological beast scales, artists, engineers, and gardeners have built a waterfall that is 10 meters high and represents the roar of the monster. The crane's 16-meter boom on the platform serves as the creature's neck and head.

The public will be welcomed onboard for the first time from Saturday. Photograph: Ben Birchall/PA

A cloud machine, a garden of plants and trees, sculptures, and devices that use renewable energy to power at least portion of the installation are also included. The helipad at the summit, which offers stunning views of the hills of Somerset, Devon, and south Wales, is piped with BBC Radio's maritime prediction.

The goal is to start discussions on issues including how to reuse industrial buildings, the need to transition away from fossil fuels, sustainability, and British weather.

There is much irony. Not least because this government-sponsored structure emphasizes renewable energy, but UK Business Secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg has said that he intends to use platforms like this one to extract "every last cubic inch of gas" from the North Sea.

The British Antarctic Survey's Ella Gilbert, a climate scientist and advisor to See Monster, declined to express her outright disapproval of the UK government but said that the evidence was quite apparent. We must stop using fossil fuels. With regard to climate change, we must drastically increase our ambition. This is a clever example of how we accomplish it.

Ironically, even if sustainability is a different topic, See Monster's stay in Weston will only be a short one. Come the beginning of November, it will be shuttered because of worries that its imposing presence would harm the wading birds that winter here.

The artwork and plants will be given new homes, but the platform itself will be torn up and hauled off to be repurposed. The creators assert that while their monster will disappear, others all around the globe will employ the principles they have learnt to transform abandoned platforms into art projects, hotels, or diving platforms.

It is anticipated that until it vanishes, See Monster will give Weston the same boost that Banksy's Dismaland, a warped parody of Disneyland, gave it in 2015.

Walter Byron, who serves as a See Monster host, remarked, "That brought in a different type of tourist to Weston." "I want it to remain and have a restaurant built on top."

There has been a great deal of skepticism, according to a second presenter named Sarah Windall who is also a substitute teacher. Some people object because the funding for it comes from their taxes, but I believe it's a creative approach to use art to look to the future.

Elaine Day, a Weston resident who was there to see how construction was going in honor of her 76th birthday, was among those who observed as the monster was receiving its finishing touches.

It's different, she added, adding. "In my opinion, the town will benefit. On their vacations, people have been coming here and asking, "What's that thing up there?" It's making Weston more well-known.

Thanks to Steven Morris at The Guardian whose reporting provided the original basis for this story.