New town centre planters vandalised over bank holiday
Newly installed planters in the town centre were sprayed with graffiti over the bank holiday weekend, days before workers finished planting them.
Why it matters: The planters form part of Ipswich Borough Council's £1.2 million Town Centre Greening project – a stripped-back version of the Ipswich Oasis project that aimed to create a green corridor connecting the town centre and waterfront.
The details: The first wave of custom planters has been installed between the Cornhill and Giles Circus – just off Princes Street – and Queen Street, bringing new trees, drought-resistant greenery and seating to the area.
- The planters were vandalised before workers could complete the planting, which is being finished today.
- The Barclays building on Princes Street was also sprayed with graffiti over the weekend. Tags indicate it was the same person or people.
The bigger picture: The Town Centre Greening project, funded by the Towns Fund, covers Princes Street, Queen Street, St Nicholas Street and Wolsey Square. The council says each area has its own character, but a continuity of design links the spaces together to form a green route through the town centre towards the waterfront.
The scheme includes native tree species, drought-resistant plants, perennial planting, mosses and pollinators.
The Barclays building was also sprayed (Photos: Oliver Rouane-Williams/Ipswich.co.uk)
What they're saying: A spokesperson at Ipswich Borough Council, said: “We are disappointed that the planters have been graffitied and are taking steps to address this as quickly as possible. We are currently liaising with our suppliers to confirm which cleaning products are appropriate, ensuring that any treatment will not damage the planter finish.
“Despite this, we are very pleased with the positive feedback our teams are receiving about Greener Ipswich, particularly in how the planters are starting to look.”
What's next: Planting work on Princes Street is being completed today. The council will look to remove the graffiti at the earliest opportunity. Suffolk Police have been approached for comment.
The bottom line: Designed to make the town centre greener and more inviting, the new planters were instead given an unwelcome welcome – tagged with graffiti before the last plant was even in the ground.
If anyone has any information about who was responsible for the vandalism, please contact us.
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