A new national landmark celebrating prayer is moving into the next phase after being granted planning permission. 

Once completed, the Eternal Wall of Answered Prayer will stand at 169 feet, eclipsing the Angel of the North. 

It will take the form of a giant arch constructed out of a million bricks, each representing a prayer that has been answered by God. 

Due to open in autumn 2022, the site will include a visitor centre, café, bookstore and 24-hour onsite chaplaincy support service. 

In addition to creating 20 full-time jobs, the monument is expected to attract 300,000 visitors a year and contribute £9.3m to the local economy.

Construction is to begin next spring after the crowd-funded project was granted planning permission by North Warwickshire Borough Council. 

The monument is the brainchild of Richard Gamble, former chaplain of Leicester City Football Club, who welcomed the decision.

He said the Eternal Wall of Answered Prayer was "about community", and would "make hope visible to the UK". 

"It's been 16 years since the idea was first born. To finally receive the official consent is incredible," he said.

"We are building a very special landmark and it is an amazing opportunity for the British people to leave a legacy of hope for future generations."

He continued: "We want to celebrate and remember all the prayers that God has answered for individuals throughout our nation's history.

"Each answered prayer could provide hope to those who visit. Our desire is to create thought-provoking public art and offer a space for recreation and reflection for everyone.

"Our hope is that those who visit will see how God can bring peace in life's storms and be encouraged to reflect on the power and relevance of prayer."

Andy Street, the Mayor of the West Midlands and a member of the judging panel who decided on the design, said, "I am delighted Eternal Wall of Answered Prayer has now finally got planning permission and work can get underway.

"It's an incredibly ambitious, stunning project and is a landmark for the Midlands. It has been a long process, but this landmark will serve as a place of hope for many, and one that will help us remember the Christian heritage of our nation.

"A massive thank you should go to everyone involved who has turned this vision into reality."