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‘It wasn’t just an opportunity to slap a mural up for the sake of it’ artist defends Church Street mural

Posted on - 23rd September, 2023 - 7:00am | Author - | Posted in - Arts & Culture, Politics, Preston City Centre, Preston Council, Preston News
Local photographer Scrappy NW photographed the mural by drone. Pic Scrappy NW
Local photographer Scrappy NW photographed the mural by drone. Pic Scrappy NW

The artist behind the striking Church Street mural on the side of Hogarths has said he was ‘putting some pride back into our city’.

Planning permission was not sought for the mural – which went up during July – by Amber Taverns who operate the bar in the city centre.

They’ve now applied for retrospective planning permission for the mural which adorns the side of the grade-II listed building.

Read more:Ā Meeting Shawn Sharpe, the artist behind Church Streetā€™s striking Preston mural

Shawn Sharpe, who created the mural, took to social media to defend his work.

He said: “The council emailed me two to three weeks after I finished, an oversight on Amber Taverns side. I can’t speak on the planning permission side of things.

“When I designed the mural, my first thought was to make sure it fits into the area. I’ve used patterns from the stone work of the church, colours that fit with the surrounding area. It wasn’t just an opportunity to slap a mural up for the sake of it.

Since the birth of the mural I’ve had nothing but positive feedback, online, in person and I’ve seen it shared countless times in different media coverage.

“The aim was to put some pride back into our city.

“I understand this is the process it has to go through now but I think I can speak for the whole of Preston when I say this, we can’t lose the mural!

“One step forwards and two steps backwards, I hope in the future our council can support the mural culture.”

The mural’s future will be decided by the city council’s planning process as they consider the application for the mural to be kept permanently on the side of the building.

Read more: Apartment block and restaurant plan lodged for long-stalled Avenham Street site

Have your say on muralā€™s future

Anybody wishing to comment on the planning application for permission to retain the mural should contact Preston City Council, by 7th October, by emailing devcon@preston.gov.uk and quoting reference number 06/2023/1004, or writing to Development and Housing Directorate. Preston City Council, Town Hall, Lancaster Road, Preston, PR1 2RL.

Only relevant planning matters can be taken into account and details of how to frame comments in that context can be found on the Preston City Council website by searching the site for ā€œcommenting on planning applicationsā€.

Read more: See the latest Preston news and headlines

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