The owner of the £15m red and white striped property in Kensington has been told to repaint it.
Zipporah Lisle-Mainwaring must return the building to its original appearance after failing in court to overturn an order imposed by Kensington and Chelsea Council .
She now has 21 days to decide whether to appeal the ruling, made this afternoon (January 8) at Hammersmith Magistrates’ Court.
It is the second time in six months that Ms Lisle-Mainwaring has lost a legal battle with the local authority. In July she lost a High Court challenge against its landmark ban on mega-basements .
The council issued the owner of the property, in South End, with a Section 215 after the building was given its distinctive new look in April .
It argued: “The property is situated within the Kensington Square Conservation Area and its condition and appearance has attracted numerous complaints to the council’s planning enforcement team.
"In addition to the exterior being painted red and white stripes, the property’s window frames are in a poor condition.”
After the court decision it said in a statement: “We are very pleased that the court has agreed that painting a property in red and white stripes has a harmful impact on the Kensington Square Conservation Area and that issuing a Section 215 Notice was within the Royal Borough’s power as the local planning authority.
“Of course we would have preferred to resolve this matter without resort to the courts but in the end this was not possible. We expect that this property will now be painted in a more suitable manner.”
The news will come as a welcome relief to rich neighbours, who were horrified with the appearance of the house, and has likened it to a beach-hut or circus Big Top.
Student Saskia Mole said at the time: “It’s a real monstrosity - it sounds bad to say that it isn’t very Kensington but it just looks so weird. It’s like a cross between a beach hut and a circus.
“My dad really doesn’t like it. He thinks it’s an absolute monstrosity.
“It sounds bad to say it brings down the neighbourhood but quite a few tourists have been turning up to have a look.
“This whole road has basically been united in its hatred of that house.”
Another neighbour added: “Neither my wife or myself were particularly amused by it. Everyone I know is disappointed that this has happened. I know no-one that likes it and it doesn’t enhance the area.”
The decision at the magistrates’ court in Talgarth Road follows a two-day hearing in December which saw Ms Lisle-Mainwaring appeal against the Section 215.
Costs are yet to be agreed.
