Mary Poppins mural saved as man wins bitter Earl's Court planning battle

"Inspector Grahame J Kean said Kensington and Chelsea Council accepted the mural was compliant with local and national planning rules. He added: In my opinion it is by no means dominant in either the roofscape or the street scene. It is not readily visible due to the very limited views of it that are available to the public. It is perceived as a small structure in its own right and against the expanse of wall on which it is painted."

"Mr Kean said the mural, which shows a figure of Mary Poppins with an umbrella in her left hand and carpet bag in right, flying up to a real-life chimney in the outline of a red heart, was intended as a message of hope and painted during the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic. He said it preserved the visually harmonious streetscape and was not harmful to the traditional features of the area."

A Mary Poppins mural on the wall of a property in Earl's Court Square has been allowed to remain after a council removal order was overturned. Inspector Grahame J Kean found Kensington and Chelsea Council accepted the mural complied with local and national planning rules and that the image was not dominant, had limited public visibility, and preserved the streetscape. The mural depicts Mary Poppins flying toward a real chimney outlined by a red heart and was painted as a message of hope during the Covid-19 aftermath. Councillors had ordered removal in December 2024; the property owner appealed and the council will not challenge the inspector's decision.

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