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 Inspectorate ruled the structure required planning permission, which had not been obtained, and dismissed her appeal.
She now faces enforcement action and a potential fine of up to £20,000 if she does not comply with the order.
Why the gorilla statue caused a dispute
The 4ft gorilla statue has been attached to the front of Teale’s red-brick terraced house in Wakefield since December 2024.
She originally bought the figure more than 20 years ago, and had previously displayed it outside another home in Leeds for around 15 years.
Teale said the statue became well known in her old neighbourhood, explaining: “Everybody used him as a landmark.”
After moving house, she sold the gorilla because she did not have space for it, but later decided to buy it back because she missed it. The dispute began after a local complained to the council about the statue being mounted on the front of the property.
Why planners said the gorilla needed permission
Wakefield Council decided last year that the gorilla and its wooden platform counted as a permanent structure, and therefore couldn't be classed as something that didn't require planning permission.
Teale appealed the decision, but the Planning Inspectorate agreed with the council and ruled the statue must be removed.
The homeowner said she did not understand the problem, adding: “I could take him down, put him somewhere else, but why should I? It’s not hurting anyone, it’s not going to fall, it’s bolted down.”
She also questioned why the council was focusing on the statue, saying: “I just don’t get it when people have mucky mattresses, fridges and everything in their gardens.”
A spokesperson for Wakefield Council said planning rules still apply, even if something is meant to be 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 a potential fine. She has also been warned that ignoring an enforcement notice is a criminal offence and can result in significant fines in the magistrates’ court.
Despite the ruling, she has suggested she may relocate the statue rather than remove it entirely, saying: “I like that it’s a bit quirky and I don’t know anyone else that’s got a gorilla attached to their house.”
She also referenced other unusual home installations elsewhere in the country, adding: “If I have to move him, I will move him and put him in a better spot.”
