A faceless sculpture of Prince Philip, once described by a council planner as “possibly the poorest quality work” ever submitted, will be taken down years after it was erected without planning permission.

Standing outside a Cambridge office block, the 4-metre bronze statue depicted the late queen’s husband in academic robes with an abstract face resembling a twisted owl mask.

Called The Don, it was designed to commemorate his 35 years as chancellor of Cambridge University but its critical reception was savage, with one art critic describing it as “detritus masquerading as public art”.

The £150,000 work attracted so much controversy that no artist has admitted to making it. The Unex Group, which is understood to have commissioned the work, previously said it was by the Uruguayan sculptor Pablo Atchugarry, but this was denied by the artist, who said it was “an abuse” to suggest he made it.