Adele Teale has been told she must remove a 4ft gorilla statue known as “Caesar” from the front of her home after a planning dispute with the local council.
The planning inspector ruled the necessary structure Planning permissionwhich was not obtained, and dismissed her appeal.
She now faces enforcement action and possible fines £20,000 If she does not obey the order.
Why did the gorilla statue cause controversy?
A 4ft gorilla statue has been attached to the front of Telle’s red-brick terraced house in Wakefield since December 2024.
She originally bought the figure more than 20 years ago, and previously displayed it outside another home in Leeds for about 15 years.
Teal said the statue became well-known in his old neighborhood, explaining: “Everybody used it as a landmark.”
After moving house, she sold the gorilla because she didn’t have room for it, but later decided to buy it back because she missed it. The dispute began after a local complained to the council about placing the statue at the front of the property.
Why do organizers say gorillas need a permit?
Wakefield Council decided last year that the gorilla And its wooden platform is considered a permanent structure, and therefore cannot be classified as something Planning permission is not required.
Teale appealed the decision, but the planning inspector agreed with the council and ruled that the statue must be removed.
The homeowner said she didn’t understand the problem, adding: “I could take it down, put it somewhere else, but why would I? It’s not hurting anybody, it’s not going to fall, it’s fallen.”
She also questioned why the council was focusing on the statue, saying: “I don’t understand when people have greasy mattresses in their gardens, fridges and everything.”
A spokesman for Wakefield Council said planning rules still apply, even if something is decorative or quirky.
What happens next?
Teale has now been given a deadline to remove the gorilla statue and its mounting structure or face further legal action, including possible fines. She has also been warned that ignoring an enforcement notice is a criminal offense and can result in substantial fines in a magistrate’s court.
Despite the ruling, she has suggested that she might relocate the statue rather than remove it entirely, saying: “I like that it’s a bit quirky and I don’t know anyone else who has a gorilla attached to their house.”
She also mentioned other unusual home installations elsewhere in the country, adding: “If I have to move it, I’ll move it and put it in a better place.”
