Plans to open a new Lidl store in Stockport have been withdrawn following ‘significant delays’ and concerns from Stockport Council.
According to local councillors, it is ‘no longer viable' for the supermarket chain to go ahead with the plans for the store, which was due to be built on the site of the former Fir Tree pub on Gorton Road in Reddish.
Councillors in Reddish North claim the plans, which were first announced in 2021, were withdrawn ‘due to the extent of changes required to address the council’s concerns’. The supermarket had been pushing to extend its car park area into North Reddish Park, but the plans were rejected by councillors.
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On Facebook, the Reddish North Labour Councillors posted: “Stockport Planning department have informed Reddish North Councillors that LIDL has decided to WITHDRAW their Planning Application for a new supermarket in North Reddish.”
The post added: “This means the Planning Application will not go ahead. LIDL have reviewed the scheme internally and have reached the view that it is no longer viable for them to deliver.
“LIDL stated this is due to the extent of the changes required to address the Council’s concerns about the proposals. LIDL also mentioned the length of time since the application was first submitted, but that was their decision not to come to a fair agreement on the plans.
“A key issue for LIDL was they wanted to extend the car park into North Reddish Park. Reddish North Councillors refused to accept the proposal from LIDL . The Park is for the public not developers.
“We are disappointed that the supermarket will now not go ahead and now await any decision by LIDL as to who they may sell the land to.”
Speaking to the M.E.N, councillor Roy Driver, for Reddish North, said that he believed the new store would have been a good addition to Reddish but said the extension of the car park was a 'red line' for councillors and locals.
"I think it would have been a good thing for the area,” coun Driver said. “It would have provided good quality, low-cost food in a poor area of Stockport, and we know from experience they have been very popular.
“Had they brought forward a satisfactory planning application I'm sure it would have been approved as there wouldn't have been any planning reasons to refuse. I just hope something is done with it and they don't keep it vacant.”
Rapleys LLP, a property and planning consultancy working on behalf of Lidl, confirmed the planning application for the store had been withdrawn in a letter to Stockport Council's planning officers.
In the letter, Rapleys said: "Lidl recognises the strong support from the local community and the benefits this store would have brought to the area, including jobs, enhanced choice and convenient access to Lidl’s high quality, best value products.
“This has therefore not been an easy decision for our client to make. However, the application has been live for more than 16 months now. In that time, the team at Lidl has worked hard to update the plans to satisfy the feedback from the council. This includes customisation of standard store specifications above and beyond what is normally required.
“But due to the extent of these changes and the significant delays faced since the application was first submitted, my client has determined that the project is unfortunately no longer viable.”
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