A homeowner in Wakefield is facing a potential fine of up to £20,000 after refusing to remove a four-foot-tall gorilla statue mounted on the front of her terraced house. Adele Teale, 59, has been ordered by Wakefield Council to take down the resin figure, named Caesar, within four weeks or face legal action and a hefty penalty. Despite the threat, Teale has vowed to keep the statue, which she erected in 2024, claiming it has become a beloved feature of the local community.
The Dispute Over Caesar
The trouble began in September 2025 when Wakefield Council issued an enforcement notice, stating that the gorilla statue is 'out of character with the surrounding area' and requires planning permission under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. Teale appealed the decision, but after a site visit and a lengthy review, the Planning Inspectorate upheld the notice on May 12, 2026. She now has until June 9, 2026, to remove Caesar or face a fine that could reach £20,000 in magistrates' court or be unlimited in crown court.
Adele's Stand
Teale, who works for Leeds City Council's passenger travel department, is adamant that Caesar is merely a garden ornament and does not need planning permission. 'He is my best friend and I don't ever plan to move him. Everybody loves Caesar; he is part of the community,' she said. 'I just don't understand what the issue is. I can't believe all of this fuss over a gorilla. He is nothing more than a garden ornament, and I don't agree that he needs planning permission.' She added that the statue is securely fastened with screws and glue and could be removed easily, comparing it to a Christmas tree decoration.
History of Caesar
Teale originally purchased Caesar from a pet supplies store in 2005 and displayed him outside her previous home in Belle Isle, Leeds, for 15 years without any complaints. When she moved to Stanley, Wakefield, six years ago, she sold the statue but later regretted it. She tracked down the buyer and repurchased Caesar for £600 in August 2024. In December 2024, she mounted him on a wooden plinth between the two upstairs windows of her two-bedroom terraced house. The council first contacted her in May 2025 after receiving a complaint about an 'animal structure' on her property.
Council's Position
Joe Jenkinson, Wakefield Council's Service Director for Planning, Transportation and Strategic Highways, explained the decision: 'We appreciate that not everyone will agree, but under planning rules this is not classed as a minor decorative feature. It's also out of character with the surrounding area. So, it requires planning permission. The Planning Inspectorate is completely independent of the Council, and having looked at it impartially, has dismissed the owner's appeal and upheld the enforcement notice. This means the gorilla statue will need to be removed within four weeks.' The council claims the statue has caused harm to the greenbelt and negatively affected the landscape.
Community Support
Despite the council's stance, Teale has received support from locals, including binmen who shout greetings to Caesar. She remains defiant, stating that as the homeowner, she has the right to decorate her property as she wishes. The case has drawn attention to the fine line between personal expression and planning regulations in the UK.
