A Kensington property owner, who painted her house with red and white stripes, is taking the council to court.

Zipporah Lisle-Mainwaring is challenging Kensington & Chelsea’s landmark ban on mega-basements at the High Court.

She painted her £15m house in South End earlier this year, amid claims it was done to spite neighbours who had opposed her basement expansion.

The council has confirmed the legal challenge, which has been mounted by Ms Lisle-Mainwaring alongside construction company Force Foundations (Basement Force) Ltd.

The council became the first authority in the country to introduce tight restrictions on basement developments with more than one storey in January.

Under the strict new guidelines, basements are still permitted but with limits on their scale.

A council spokesman said: “This matter is now before the court so it would not be appropriate for us to make any comment.”

Ms Lisle-Mainwaring repainted the building in April. Within weeks the council issued a Section 215 notice ordering her return the property back to its original state.

However, the 71-year-old is also challenging this.

A council spokesman said: “An appeal against a Section 215 notice served by the council requiring the owner of 19 South End to repaint her property will be heard at Hammersmith Magistrates’ Court on 15 and 16 December 2015.”