Banksy's home city to embrace graffiti art

"It generates a sense of community and sense of pride and respect in the area," said Chalkley, chairman of community activist body the People's Republic of Stokes Croft.

And such regeneration can come cheap. "You can make a big change with a small pot of paint," he said.

The only expenditure for the red wave mural was the 300 pounds' worth of masonry paint used -- the artists worked for free.

Bristol's policy contrasts with other councils, such as Westminster in central London which last year ordered the Royal Mail to remove a Banksy mural from the side of a building.

The 7-meter-high painting showed a police officer filming a small girl while she paints the words "One nation under CCTV."

Westminster deputy leader Robert Davis said at the time: "I take the view that this is graffiti and if you condone this then what is the difference between this and all the other graffiti you see scrawled across the city?"

(Editing by Steve Addison)