Mint Car Wash Ltd at Slade Street car park on Star Lane has applied to install a canopy over its existing carwash. - Credit: Google Maps

An Ipswich car wash company has applied again for a temporary canopy, that was previously rejected on the grounds of being “intrusive and alien”. 

Mint Car Wash Ltd at Slade Street car park originally asked Ipswich Borough Council (IBC) for permission to install a canopy over its existing car wash in 2019. 

IBC refused permission, stating that any new development needed to be “well designed and sustainable” whilst “protecting and enhancing the special character and distinctiveness of Ipswich,” which it felt the proposal did not do.  

IBC's main concern was the site’s close proximity to the Grade II listed Jewish cemetery wall, as well as a number of listed buildings on Fore Street. 

It said: “The canopy would appear as an alien and intrusive feature within its heritage context and the harm caused is considered to be substantial.” 

The council concluded that although the car wash and car parking were acceptable in the short term, “neither are desirable in the long term, and any structures that appear to make the existing uses both more visible and more permanent will be harmful to the heritage and townscape setting”.  

Mint Car Wash Ltd has applied again after making some changes to its original application.  

A planning statement prepared by Andrew Cann of Planning Direct pointed out that the area to the rear of the Jewish Cemetery and houses on Fore Street “is rough ground used for the parking of cars,” and so did not add anything visually to the area either. 

The statement said it had sought to address the council’s concerns, and so had moved the canopy away from north wall of the cemetery, positioned so that it would become “lost” in the background of taller buildings. 

The design of the canopy was now “very light and represents the minimum amount of material in order to fulfil the function required (to enable hand drying / waxing in inclement weather) whilst minimising the profile of the structure and therefore the visibility of it within the background of an already very busy view."

The statement said the canopy was clearly temporary in appearance, and concluded by saying: “It is my belief that the structure would be barely noticeable to a passer-by and therefore of negligible if any harm.”