Graffiti to be rescued in city flats restoration

A scrawled graffiti message making the statement “I love you will u marry me” has been a feature of a concrete bridge linking two sections of the structure for many years.

Now developer Urban Splash has decided the message, daubed by an unknown author, is too valuable to lose and it has been highlighted further with a neon sign which spells out the words.

It is 50 years today since Park Hill flats were officially opened as council flats. For several years now Urban Splash has been involved in redevelopment work which will see the complex transformed for modern needs.

Exterior work and landscaping are now nearing completion, with apartments expected to go on sale from September, when the first four to be modernised will go on show to the public.

Urban Splash chairman Tom Bloxham said graffiti was now recognised as part of the heritage and romance of the flats.

He said: “As Park Hill turns 50, a new chapter is beginning and it is fitting to mark this point with the unveiling of the next modern twist at Park Hill – the neon I Love You Will U Marry Me sign.

“The declaration ‘I love you will you marry me’ is not only an iconic piece of graffiti but is also our invitation to the city. We want people to love Park Hill once again and it is exciting to see the development taking shape,” he said.

A series of events over several months is being planned to celebrate the building’s half-century anniversary, which will include exhibitions, music and arts events.

In addition, designers and artists have also been commissioned to create homeware and artworks to commemorate the anniversary.

Coun Harry Harpham, Sheffield Council’s regeneration spokesman, said: “Park Hill is a flagship development in Sheffield, both because it’s so visible from many parts of the city and it has such a rich and fascinating history.”