Plans to preserve Hull’s Banksy will be discussed at a planning committee meeting next week.
Members of Hull City Council’s Planning Committee will discuss the future of the Banksy mural – and the listed Scott Street Bridge it adorns – on Wednesday 6 March.
Listed building consent recommendations include that on completion of the Phase 2 works, the Banksy and remaining context graffiti will be mounted on the new bridge leaf in approximation of its original position and context.
The recommendation is that the work is completed within two years.
Following extensive consultation with parties including Historic England, significant revisions were made to the original scheme, including the requirement to remove and replace the bridge leaves.
Scott Street Bridge was closed to vehicles in 1995 and ceased to be a public highway in 2007. It has been raised permanently since then.
The council has also made proposals to secure the artwork through specialist removal and storage of the Banksy until it can be relocated near to the original site- in keeping with its intended artistic statement and context.
A number of structural surveys were carried out on the bridge, revealing that without further intervention, it is likely to reach a point of collapse within five to 10 years.
Councillor Daren Hale, portfolio holder for economic investment and regeneration, said: “It is unfortunate that we are having to take this decision and, over the past six months, we have been exploring all the possible options available to us, but we can no longer leave it in this condition.
“We’ve actively explored placing the Banksy in nearby locations, including The Whalebone pub. Unfortunately, the piece of unique street art is too large to accommodate in a local facility.
“We’ve also been working closely with Historic England to ensure that the work to the bridge is carried out as sensitively as possible. Our aim is to ensure the Banksy remains part of the thriving street art culture in this area, including the Bankside Gallery, and that the context of the artwork and the history of the bridge are fully respected and acknowledged in the final scheme.
“The Banksy will be remounted following the works to Scott Street Bridge, taking its pivotal role in what has been a growing subculture of international street art across the city’s industrial estate, transforming it into a tourist attraction, and continuing Hull’s legacy as the UK City of Culture 2017.
“In the meantime, it will be on display in a public building for the viewing public.”
Find details of the planning committee meeting on 6 March here.
