HUNDREDS of people have come out in support of a hand car wash trying again to get planning permission after facing several rejections by the council and government inspectors.

A petition with more than 500 signatures has been put forward supporting a plan by Jasbir Sandhar for the iShine Express hand car wash in Worcester Road in Malvern.

Mr Sandhar has asked for three-year temporary planning permission and will include screens and hedgerows after it was criticised for looking tired and out of place.

Several other letters of support have also been submitted to the council by neighbours in Worcester Road.

The latest plan proposes a number of changes including lowering and freshening up the canopies as well as removing the criticised lettering and removing signs along the side of the road.

The plan was rejected by Malvern Hills District Council planning officers in November last year after temporary planning permission expired and an appeal was dismissed by a government planning inspector in June for having flags, unsympathetic signs and tired-looking canopies.

The car wash was given two-year temporary permission to stay on the site but it expired in 2019.

Rejecting the plan for permission to make the car wash permanent, council planning officers said the canopies were acceptable in principle but signs and flags around the car wash were not – particularly next to town heritage assets such as the neighbouring former Methodist church.

The flags around the car wash were removed after concerns were raised, which the council welcomed, but planners came to the conclusion the rest of the car wash was proving harmful to the local conservation area.

Some objections had been raised against the plan by neighbours during public consultation last year.

One neighbour said his cars and driveway were constantly wet and filthy from spray drifting over and excess water often froze in the winter making it dangerous.

Several plans to create a permanent car wash on the land have been rejected in the last decade.

The first plan was rejected in 2009 and a five-year temporary plan in 2013 was also rejected.

The car wash finally received temporary permission for two years in 2017 which expired in September last year before another planning application was rejected by MHDC and a government appeal dismissed.