Partners transform Daventry subway with community street art project
15 July 2026
A neglected Daventry subway has been transformed into a colourful community art space through a joint initiative between West Northamptonshire Council (WNC), Northamptonshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Danielle Stone, local students and professional artists, helping to build community pride and prevent anti-social behaviour.
The project, located at the Ashby Road underpass in Daventry, forms part of a wider Street Art Programme being delivered across West Northamptonshire. The initiative was delivered to coincide with Anti-Social Behaviour Awareness Week 2026, highlighting the importance of prevention, community engagement and partnership working.
Before work on the mural began, offenders taking part in Danielle Stone’s Immediate Justice programme carried out a major clean-up operation to restore the site, including cutting back overgrown vegetation, clearing debris and preparing the walls with a fresh white base ready for the new designs.
The creative element of the project involved Year 10 students from Parker E-ACT Academy, supported by teacher Mrs Thacker, working alongside renowned street artist Binty Bint. Students created individual pieces based on the theme of artworks displayed in a gallery, while Binty contributed her own designs and shared professional guidance and artistic techniques throughout the project.
The Ashby Road subway had become increasingly neglected in recent years, with the original mural, created more than three decades ago, having significantly deteriorated. The transformation has created a bright, welcoming environment that showcases local creativity.
Cllr Nigel Stansfield, Cabinet Member for Environment, Recycling and Waste at WNC, said: "This project is about much more than creating a mural. It's about bringing partners together, engaging young people in a positive activity and creating a space that the whole community can be proud of.
"When young people help design and create public artwork, they develop a sense of ownership over that space. In turn, people are more likely to respect it and look after it. The transformation of the Ashby Road subway shows how preventative work can have a lasting impact, improving the environment and creating a space that people value and respect."
The initiative is based on principles that demonstrate how well-maintained public spaces can help discourage crime and anti-social behaviour. Research and practical experience show that attractive, cared-for environments are often treated with greater respect, particularly when local residents and young people have played a direct role in shaping them.
Northamptonshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Danielle Stone said: “I am pleased that my Immediate Justice Team has helped to bring this fantastic project to life.
“Immediate Justice creates real, visible consequences for people that have committed anti-social behaviour and shows communities that it is taken seriously. This project has been a perfect reflection of what the programme aims to achieve.
“Together as partners, a space that everyone can enjoy has been created that I hope will discourage further anti-social behaviour in the future.”
As well as improving the appearance of the underpass, the project has provided students with the opportunity to develop creative skills, work alongside a professional artist and make a positive contribution to their community.
The project also builds on wider work taking place across West Northants to tackle graffiti and improve public spaces. Earlier this year, WNC expanded its programme of community-led street art projects, including murals, utility cabinet artwork, shop shutters and underpass improvements designed to deter repeat vandalism. The council also led a community improvement project bringing partners together to transform Park Square in Kings Heath, Northampton.