Port Talbot Banksy work could be relocated by council

The artwork appeared on the side of garage in December

(Getty)

A Banksy mural that appeared on a garage in Wales last December could be relocated to a more “practical” location, according to the local council.

The artwork, which covers two sides of the building, depicts a child playing in what appears to be snow, but is actually ash from a rubbish bin.

Neath Port Talbot council has offered to meet the costs of removing and storing the graffiti, including building a “like for like” replacement garage for owner Ian Lewis.

Yet the council claims Mr Lewis has refused to meet to discuss the matter further.

“The Banksy has been a real fillip for Taibach and the wider community in Port Talbot; but leaving it where it is probably not practical given the security requirements [to protect it from vandalism], traffic congestion and other factors,” a council spokesperson said.

“The Council has already committed significant resources to support safety and traffic management measures around the site over the Christmas and New Year period but this cannot go on indefinitely at a growing cost to local taxpayers.”

Earlier this week, Mr Lewis told BBC Wales he would like the artwork to be moved, saying it had become a source of stress for him.

“I think that the Assembly should step in and take over, because it is an arts treasure, and it's just too much for me,” he told BBC Wales.

An estimated 20,000 people are believed to have visited the mural over the festive period.

The artwork is believed to be a comment on the black dust from the town’s steelworks which covered houses, cars and pets in July last year. The nearby toll on the Severn Bridge was also dropped just days before the artwork appeared.

The council said they recognise the Banksy work belongs to Mr Lewis.

“Ultimately it is not our property and the future of the artwork and its impact on surrounding residents lies solely with the garage owner. It is our understanding that he wishes to pursue other options, as is of course his right, but our doors remain open should he change his mind,” a council spokesperson said.

Anonymous street artist Banksy, who’s work includes the dystopian playground Dismaland in Weston-super-Mare, is estimated to have a net worth of over £15million a year. The artist’s Girl with a Red Balloon artwork recently sold for £1million, before shredding the moment it was sold.