Plans submitted for Ipswich St Margaret's Street car wash

Ipswich Borough Council has received plans seeking permission for the continued use of a car wash located in St Margaret's Street for a further year.

The car wash has been in that location since temporary planning permission was granted in 2012.

This application comes after the car wash was ordered to close after losing a planning appeal in January.

Despite advice from planning officers that it should continue, members of Ipswich council's planning and development committee rejected the application - prompting an appeal to the government's Planning Inspectorate.

The inspector said the main issue was that the use of the site for a car wash was out of character with the historic nature of the area.

The car wash is located in front of St Margaret's Church, opposite the Manor Ballroom and next to the Masonic Hall.

Councillor Oliver Holmes (Image: Ipswich Borough Council)

Ipswich Borough Councillor Oliver Holmes, who led the opposition to the granting of new planning permission in January, and is a councillor for the St Margaret's Ward, hoped it would now be left as an open space for the time being.

Back in January, speaking to this publication, he said: “The site is in a very historic part of Ipswich and is surrounded by many listed buildings.

"To be frank, the car wash has been an eyesore for many years and I am delighted the planning inspector has agreed with the planning committee and rejected the owners request for another five-year temporary permission.

"The land should be used for housing and until a scheme comes forward, I would like to see it used as a green space benefiting St. Margaret’s residents.”