Penrith Town Council are hoping to put the brakes on the growing number of vape shops in the town centre over concerns of how many are opening in the town and also about safety risks too.
At a meeting on the 13th April, town councillors on the planning committee are set to vote on recommendations to lobby for stronger powers to control new vape shops opening. Right now, they’re treated like any other shop, which means there’s very little stopping more from opening.
The Town Council think it’s starting to get out of hand in Penrith and if controls are not put in place the growth of e-cigarette (Vape) shops within Penrith will continues.
With the growth of such businesses affects a balanced town centre mix of retail shops thereby affecting economic vitality of the town as well as posing a fire risk in historic buildings and the conservation area.
The council isn’t looking to ban Vape shops outright, but they want to see more control through changes to planning rules so vape shops are treated differently like massage parlours, betting shops and take aways, which allows for stricter control and giving the council more power to say no to new ones in certain areas.
As part of the town council plans they will be asked to approve that a letter be sent to Penrith MP Marcus Campbell-Savours to lobby for changes to planning rules and to Westmorland and Furness Council as the local planning authority asking that they put an Article 4 Direction in place for Penrith as has been done in other areas to remove "permitted development rights".
Councillors will vote on the recommendations on Monday that could see tighter rules on vape shops opening in Penrith in the near future.
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