A 10ft statue of Margaret Thatcher by a Finchley sculptor may be built in Westminster after a planning application was lodged.

The statue, built on a stone plinth, will see the former Finchley MP realised in bronze on the west side of Parliament Square, wearing robes in what appears to be Order of the Garter attire.

The application was placed by the Public Memorials Appeal, who also commissioned a bronze bust of Sir John Barbirolli in Manchester and of Special Operations Executive agent Violette Szabo who was executed in a concentration camp in WW2 during her second mission.

Barnet deputy mayor Cllr Sury Khatri called the statue "appropriate and befitting" of Mrs Thatcher's work in Parliament.

He said: "It is an affecting tribute for a lady who changed politics.

"She should have been honoured much earlier."

Charity founder Ivan Saxton told the Times Series that he had the idea for Mrs Thatcher's memorial as he stood with thousands of people lining the route of her funeral procession.

He said: "I launched an appeal to the general public for funding and when this was largely in place I began to consider the work of a number of sculptors but only actually interviewed only one: Douglas Jennings."  

Mr Saxton explained his ideas for the memorial to Mr Jennings, including the "size, pose and attire" to be featured.

He continued: "I was pleased that Douglas agreed with the image of the statue that I had in mind and therefore in 2014 I commissioned him to produce it.  

"Douglas subsequently brought our shared image into reality and he did an excellent job."

Douglas Jennings, based in Finchley, is the sculptor of the new memorial, having gained fame for his portraits of President Barack Obama and footballer Johnny Haynes, the latter of which stands at Fulham FC at Craven Cottage.

The statue does not include Mrs Thatcher in her iconic suit or holding her handbag which, as it is reported by various news outlets, has gained scrutiny from her daughter Carol in a letter written to the charity.

As for an unveiling date, Mr Saxton said it was "too soon" to tell, and added: "There are many bridges to cross before that can be arranged."

Mrs Thatcher was the MP for Finchley from October 1959 to April 1992 and held the leading role in government from May 1979 to November 1990.

She passed away in 2013 after suffering a stroke, aged 87.

Mr Jennings declined to comment.