George Michael's family have been granted permission to erect a memorial statue

George's childhood friend Andros Georgiou met with sculptor Laura Lian at the memorial site over the weekend to discuss the project.

A source told The Sun newspaper's Bizarre column: "Everyone is thrilled to finally have the go ahead. The work begins soon.

"Laura was introduced to George's estate by a friend and they loved her previous work, including figures of David Bowie and John Lennon.

"Everyone is looking forward to one day being able to unveil the statue in Goring, where he had loved his quiet life for 17 years."

Local councillors had previously warned there would be "resistance" from some of the 3,200 residents in the village.

Commenting on the application when it was first made, parish councillor Catherine Hall said: "I'm reluctant to even agree in principle because we risk stirring up a hornets' nest."

George's Wham! bandmate Andrew Ridgeley previously backed calls for a memorial to his late friend.

He said on UK TV show 'Good Morning Britain': "I think there's a very good case for that. There's an appetite...I don't see why there shouldn't be some sort public place for a memorial. He was much loved and there seems to be a desire for it."

The 'Freedom' singer's fans flocked to his homes in Goring and Highgate, north London, after his death to pay their respects, but in 2018, George's family issued an appeal for them to remove their tributes so local residents could carry on with normal life.

They wrote on his website: "We've been touched by your many tributes celebrating and remembering Yog, reminding us how very much he is missed and loved.

"However, we feel we cannot expect our Highgate and Goring neighbours to continue to accept as normality, the memorials so personal to you all, to remain as and where they are any longer although, we do appreciate your recent efforts to minimise their impact...

"Yog liked his privacy, his homes were true havens for him (-such a Cancerian!) and, ultimately, long term, we know he would not want to disturb or change the quiet neighbourhoods he so loved, for the people in the local area, who honestly , despite reports otherwise have been gracious and very understanding."