Our council want to rip down wall with £1m Banksy original & replace it with hideous newbuilds – it’s a travesty
LOCALS have blasted their council for vowing to rip down a wall that has a £1m Banksy original painted on it.
The piece by the anonymous graffiti artist first appeared on the derelict structure near Dover's ferry terminal in 2017.
Then in 2019, the mural in Kent - which is said to be valued at £1m - was defaced by vandals who whitewashed over the whole thing.
Now, Dover District Council want to replace the EU flag-themed piece with a swathe of newbuild houses.
Locals have blasted the council's decision - claiming it's wrong to destroy such important art.
Some even claim the work can be salvaged after it was vandalised.
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Kevin Thorp, 50, told The Sun: “They could pull the building down and leave the wall with the Banksy on it.
“If they can bring the painting back that would be amazing — it is possible to restore it, it’s only been whitewashed.
“The council originally planned on turning it into a skate park, or some sort of attraction.
"There could be lots of shops and bars and restaurants. It would have been a cool feature as part of that.
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“But the council decided it was too expensive… So now it will become private housing.
“We don’t want more housing, we don’t need more housing.
“Leave the Banksy where it is, the work deserves it, he gave it to the town, it’s a gift.
“It annoys me that someone whitewashed it in the first place.
“It was purposefully destroyed and it should be restored to its original form.
“He gave it to us so we should use it. Develop the site into an entertainment area. We don’t want housing.
“Give it back to the people of Dover.”
Another resident, Mary Cowing, 78, added: "Knocking the building down is not good at all.
"It’s a shame they whitewashed it in the first place because Banksy and his work are very popular.
"It could be an attraction and sadly there aren’t that many attractions in Dover.
"The city is a monstrosity and the Banksy made it a little bit nicer."
Meanwhile, mum-of-two Sarah Cowell, 46, said: "It was a lovely work and Dover doesn’t need more housing, I’d like to see it restored and turned into an attraction, that's a much better idea."
Retired teaching assistant, Anne Milner, 65, said the building should come down because its in a state of disrepair - but stressed the Banksy should be saved.
She said: "Knock the building down, but not the Banksy.
"The Banksy should be saved, but the building should be gone."
Banksy is thought to have painted the piece to critique Britain's plans to leave the European Union.
A spokesperson for Dover District Council said the building was painted before they bought the plots.
A spokesperson said: "DDC has acquired the freehold for properties at 8, 10, 11 and 14 Bench Street in Dover as an important step in the council’s bid to secure around £20m from the Government’s Levelling Up Fund for the Dover Beacon project.
"The building on which the Banksy mural was painted is included in this land assembly.
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"However, we would highlight that the mural itself was painted over in August 2019, long before DDC purchased the building in September 2022, and DDC was not in any way part of painting over the mural.
"Further details on plans for the area will be developed following a decision on the funding bid."
