A stretch of plain wooden hoardings along Portswood Broadway is set to be transformed with colourful new artwork created with the local community.

Plans are being developed to bring together local artists, schools, young people and community groups to create a series of murals along the hoardings, bringing colour and creativity to the area and providing an opportunity for local people to help shape how the space looks.

The paint and materials needed to help bring the project to life will be provided through sponsorship from Veolia, with further support now being provided by the University of Southampton and John Hansard Gallery.

The University of Southampton has pledged £5,000 from its civic fund towards the project, while John Hansard Gallery has offered additional support from its Arts Council England funding towards artist and project management fees.

Local artist and organiser Joanna (Joe) Ross is also being brought into the project to help coordinate artists and develop the artwork, with the ambition of creating a large-scale piece of public art that represents Portswood’s diverse communities and shares positive stories about Southampton.

Councillor John Savage, Cabinet Member for Environment and Net Zero, has championed the project and worked closely with local partners, artists and council officers to turn the initial idea into plans for a community-led scheme.

Working alongside Fusion, he has helped bring partners together, secure support for the materials and build community involvement in the project.

The initiative also forms part of wider efforts to make positive use of the space, discourage antisocial behaviour and bring new colour and interest to Portswood Broadway following a challenging period for the area. The ambition is to turn the currently blank hoardings into a creative community space that reflects Portswood and gives local people the opportunity to contribute to a highly visible part of the Broadway.

Councillor John Savage, Cabinet Member for Environment and Net Zero, said: “I’ve been passionate about getting this project off the ground because I really believe these hoardings can become something positive for Portswood.

“Rather than having a long stretch of bare timber, we have an opportunity to create something colourful, welcoming and genuinely rooted in the community, while helping to discourage antisocial behaviour and give the Broadway a boost.

“I’ve been working closely with Fusion, local artists, council officers and other partners to develop the idea and build the support needed to make it happen, so it’s fantastic to see the project now moving forward.

“There are some brilliant local artists keen to get involved and I’m delighted that we’ve secured support for the materials. The positive response from the community has been really encouraging too.

“I’d love to see local schools, young people and community groups getting involved. Ultimately, this is about giving local people an opportunity to put their stamp on the area and create something that people who live, work and visit Portswood can enjoy and feel proud of.

“I’m very grateful to Veolia for supporting the project, and it’s fantastic to now have the University of Southampton and John Hansard Gallery supporting our ambitions too. It really shows what can happen when organisations across Southampton come together behind their community.

“I can’t wait to see the ideas and designs start to take shape.”

Ben Slater, Regional Director at Veolia, said: “Supporting the community is at the heart of our work in Southampton, where we turn residents’ recycling and waste into valuable resources to support the circular economy. We look forward to seeing how the paint and materials we’ve donated will bring colour to Portswood Broadway and celebrate the local environment.”

Plans for the artwork are now being developed with local artists. There is also potential for students, schools and other community groups to become involved as the project progresses.

The project will build on the work already undertaken to install the hoardings and will provide a creative use for the space while they remain in place.

Further details about the artwork, participating artists and opportunities for the wider community to get involved will be announced as the plans develop.