Isle artists have painted hoardings at the former Dane Valley pub site where 17 council homes are due to be built.
Thanet council is partnering with Margate-based organisation Rise Up Clean Up, to decorate the wooden hoardings surrounding the site with colourful murals.
Over the weekend of Saturday 31 August – Sunday 1 September, the artists – Louis Masai Michel, LES☺︎NCK, Guerilla Pest, Dream Safari, Chu, N0tice_it, Cat Neil and Tayze – painted the hoardings which had previously been defaced with graffiti and tagging. Residents and the community were involved, suggesting themes and taking part in selecting the colour palette for the works.
The Dane Valley mural includes a thread of ocean awareness and sustainability messages, tying in with both the council’s corporate priority to protect our environment, and the Rise Up Clean Up manifesto.
The council is building new affordable housing at four brownfield sites. The sites are in Dane Valley and Tomlin Drive in Margate, and Clements Road and Staner Court in Ramsgate. In total, 49 new affordable homes will be provided at these locations.
It is hoped further artworks will be created at the other three affordable housing sites later this year. The council is exploring ways in which local schools and colleges could be engaged in plans for any future murals on other council sites.
Building is due to start at all four sites this month, with completion expected in late 2025 and early 2026. Once completed, the new homes will be rented to people on the council’s housing register, including people leaving temporary accommodation.
Cllr Helen Whitehead, Cabinet Member for Housing, said: “Good housing provision is far more than creating buildings; it is creating homes, and communities. Being able to enjoy your surroundings is essential. Using all stages of our construction to produce art and community projects, alongside providing genuinely affordable housing simply makes sense. It also ensures that our housing is truly linked to local people.
“We are letting homes to local households in need and building a holistic and educational approach to our housing and construction. I look forward to developing this strategy across our other sites, and growing links with local schools and pupils, so that they can get involved in future projects.
“I would like to thank all of the artists that took part in the mural event at Dane Valley, for their creativity, commitment and time. Everyone involved in producing these artworks should be incredibly proud; it has taken extraordinary effort from both artists and organisers.”
Cllr Steve Albon, Cabinet Member for Cleansing and Coastal Services, said: “Now that the Dane Valley hoardings are decorated with these fantastic artworks, I sincerely hope that other people will be put off covering them with the kind of tags that make an area look unloved and uncared for.
“We are pushing ahead with the removal of illegal tagging and unauthorised graffiti across the district. On the other hand, this initiative shows what can be achieved by working with local talent. A huge thank you to Rise Up Clean Up, the artists, and everyone involved.”
A litter pick also took place during the mural painting event.
The council home sites
The council will build a block with seven 1-bed and six 2-bed flats plus four 3-bed semi detached homes and 18 parking spaces across the former Dane Valley Arms site in Dane Valley Road.
In Tomlin Drive Thanet council will build 12 family homes. The aim is to reconfigure the existing hardstanding, parking area, former garages area, bin stores and drying areas.
Nine new council flats -4 one-bed and 5 two-bed will be built at the rear of 161 to 213 Clements Road. The site is currently a car park, a hard surfaced clothes drying area and grassed area. It will be used for the flats block after demolition of storage buildings.
Eleven council homes will be built on land to the rear of Staner Court in Ramsgate.
The proposal is to reconfigure the existing hardstanding, amenity space, garages and parking areas to provide the 9 three-bed and two 4-bed homes – a change from the original plans for two and three-bed properties.
