A pensioner who painted her home blue in an attempt to brighten up her 'grotty' street has been ordered to repaint it white following a single complaint. Mary Kenny, 82, spent over £3,000 painting her house in Deal, Kent, a 'lovely' cobalt shade of blue in 2023 after the end-terrace began to show 'wear and tear'. However, after a disgruntled resident complained about Mrs Kenny's attempt to bring a bit of colour to her neighbourhood, she has been ordered by Dover District Council (DDC) to redecorate the property in white or pale cream. The council claimed the current colour is 'unsympathetic' to the Middle Street conservation area.
The order has left the OAP baffled, who pointed out that properties across Deal are painted in many different colours, including a pub just a few doors down which is a similar hue of blue to Mrs Kenny's house. Mrs Kenny claimed many of her neighbours have complimented the home's makeover. She has now been given six months to comply with the notice and, despite her plan to appeal the decision, the 82-year-old has reluctantly started repainting the property white.
Pensioner's Frustration
Mrs Kenny said: 'Painting it blue has improved the street scene because it used to be very grotty. It needed freshening up, and there were a couple of other homes painted blue, and I thought it was a lovely colour. I'm a little old lady of 82, so it's very concerning to have to confront a problem like this, but I do feel I am owed an explanation as to why. I'm looking for some arbitration and accountability to explain the process. Everyone in the town should know how these decisions are made.'
Mrs Kenny, a writer, moved into the property in 2013 as she needed a more accessible home for her late husband after he suffered a stroke. She says DDC first contacted her about the new colour scheme in 2024 after a resident raised a complaint. At the time, the authority only advised her to repaint the home, but it is now taking enforcement action due to the lack of action.
Financial Burden
She continued: 'I am willing to comply with the request to change the colour when I can afford to, and have made a start on the repainting, but I am appealing as I would like a hearing to make these judgements more transparent. I was able to get my painter to come out one afternoon and start to put the new colour on, and I've asked if he can spare some more time. But I've informed DDC that I will appeal against the notice because, apart from everything else, I simply can't afford to repaint it all. A really big part of the job is the scaffolding because I think it cost more than £1,000 last time and is probably more now.'
A DDC spokesperson confirmed the authority has issued an enforcement notice against Mrs Kenny. Repainting a property would not normally require planning permission, but the authority says it is needed in Mrs Kenny's case as her home is in a conservation area.
Council's Position
The enforcement notice said: 'The painting of the exterior has, due to its inappropriate colour, resulted in a visually unsympathetic development. The inappropriate colour results in the building appearing visually dominant in the street scene, detracting from the visual harmony of the grouping of historic buildings. The painting of the dwelling, therefore, fails to preserve or enhance the conservation area and results in significant harm.'
Under the notice, Mrs Kenny is required to paint the home in white, off-white or cream within six months from May 1. DDC adds a failure to comply could result in prosecution or remedial action by the authority. However, it does not specify an approved list of colours for repainting a home.
