Plans to open a new vape shop near Ipswich Hospital have been refused. 

An application submitted to Ipswich Borough Council earlier this year requested permission to convert 31 Woodbridge Road East, near the hospital on Heath Road, from a beauty salon to a vape and cigarette store.   

The site was formerly occupied by Emma Hart aesthetics and beauty salon.  

The application form indicated that the conversion from salon to vape shop began in April of this year.   

Council bosses explained that a vape shop and beauty salon are not within the same use class and this change would require new planning permission, so they had to refuse the application.

Ipswich Star: Permission to open a vape shop in the former beauty salon premises on Woodbridge Road East was refused, Google Maps Permission to open a vape shop in the former beauty salon premises on Woodbridge Road East was refused, Google Maps (Image: Google Maps)

Before the application was rejected, neighbours of the area had raised their concerns about the new vape shop. 

One of the residents said: “It is not right for a shop of this type to exist anywhere, according to medical evidence widely available.” 

The residents were also worried about the location of the vape shop, which would be neighbouring Ipswich Hospital, St Albans School and Copleston School.