Glastonbury mural 'harmful' to area's heritage has to be removed

Due to its "scale, colours and style" an application for Listed Building Consent was rejected in December and now an appeal has been dismissed by the Planning Inspectorate

A man has been given until the end of the month to remove a large mural from his house featuring a psychedelic rainbow, Glastonbury Tor and Excalibur.

Bill Knight commissioned artists to paint the wall of his Northload Street home in Glastonbury to deter taggers.

But due to its "scale, colours and style" his application for Listed Building Consent was rejected and now his appeal has been dismissed.

Inspectors said it was "harmful" to the area's heritage and should be removed.

Graffiti problem

The work, which is a "representation of all that is Glastonbury", features some of the myths and legends which the Somerset town is famous for.

Mr Knight, said he commissioned it after he got fed up with vandals attacking the plain wall of his house with graffiti and tags.

"I've been here all my life and my family before me 200 years - so I'm very proud of my town and if anything is detrimental for it I try to do something about it," he said.

Home owner Bill Knight said he had it painted hoping it would "solve the graffiti problem"

The council said the the "prominent" mural would not "preserve or enhance the character or appearance" of the area

"Most of the people who come to Glastonbury have got to pass it and consequently the graffiti was not giving a good impression.

'Harmful to heritage'

"So I painted a mural with something which I though might solve the graffiti problem."

But last December, Mendip District Council refused planning consent for the "prominent" mural because it detracted from the "historic and architectural significance" of the building and would not "preserve or enhance the character or appearance" of the conservation area.

A council spokesperson said: "An appeal by the applicant was subsequently submitted to the Planning Inspectorate who also concluded that the mural would be harmful to the significance of the heritage assets identified and so the appeal was dismissed.

"The owner has been written to and asked for his proposals with reference to the removal of the mural within the next 21 days."