Shoppers in Kingston Park are set to have more choice then ever after plans for a new Lidl were approved by city councillors.
The proposals had been staunchly opposed by rivals Tesco and Aldi, arguing it would compete against existing supermarkets and cause traffic problems in the area.
But members of Newcastle City Council's planning committee voted unanimously to approve the plans on Friday after council planners recommended giving the application the green light.
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The new store will be built on Beaminister Way East, on the site of a former HGV driver training centre next to B&M. The discount grocery chain has pledged to create 40 jobs with the opening of the new store.
Speaking at the meeting, council planners said an impact assessment had been carried out by Lidl as part of the planning process. It found that the future Aldi store - currently under construction nearby - could see turnover fall by up to 25%.
Marks and Spencer could see their turnover fall by 6.7% while the Tesco superstore is facing a six per cent fall. However, the assessment found that the competitors would still continue to operate, and concluded that both they and the town centre would continue to "operate successfully even with the impact of Lidl".
Concerns raised by Tesco and the local ward councillor, Alan Hay, about the potential impact on traffic were alleviated by the fact Lidl had agreed to pay for improvements to the nearby Brunton Lane roundabout – installing toucan and zebra crossings and changing the road’s layout.
The committee also heard that retail consultants Nexus noted that the only alternative site in the area was the one currently being developed by Aldi. Planners said that the store was due to open in March and jobs were already being advertised.
Officers were therefore of the view that the site was not available and could not be occupied by Lidl, meaning the current site was acceptable.
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