On my way to friends I cycle through a nice 1960s
estate on a spacious layout with low-rise blocks of flats and above and below
housing in long rows. The dwellings are tiny and this social rented housing slowly
became the place where problem tenants were moved to. Such a concentrations of
people with socioeconomic and/or mental problems always leads to more
problems...
The first kneejerk reaction was to tear down the
buildings. That would only move the problem as cheap rental accommodation would
no longer be available and the current residents would have to be moved into
more expensive rented accommodation and have their rents subsidised. (Why do
politicians insist on pumping around money in that way?) In 2008 the crisis
meant that restructuring plans were delayed and the decision was taken in 2010
to refurbish the flats. As part of these efforts these murals appeared quite
suddenly at the end of 2016. People complain a lot about graffiti, but these
spray-painted murals seem to go down well -as I understood from passersby as I
was taking pictures.
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