An 82-year-old woman from Deal, Kent, has been ordered by Dover District Council to repaint her blue house after a single complaint. Mary Kenny spent over £3,000 painting her home a cobalt shade in 2023, but the council says the colour is 'unsympathetic' to the conservation area.
Mrs Kenny, a grandmother-of-three, moved into the property in 2013 to accommodate her late husband after his stroke. She says many neighbours have complimented the colour and that other buildings in the area, including a pub, are painted bright blue. She has now reluctantly started repainting the house white, as required by the enforcement notice.
The council issued the notice after Mrs Kenny failed to act on earlier advice to change the colour. The notice states that the blue paint makes the building 'visually dominant' and harms the conservation area. Mrs Kenny must repaint in white, off-white, or cream within six months from May 1, or face prosecution.
Mrs Kenny is appealing the decision, arguing the process lacks transparency and that she cannot afford the full cost, particularly for scaffolding. She has asked for a hearing to make such judgments more accountable. A council spokesman confirmed the enforcement action, noting that while repainting normally does not require planning permission, it does in conservation areas.
