'Disgust' at Lidl bid to drum up support for store

An artist's impression of the proposed Lidl store near Roscoes roundabout

A council has rejected an application for a new superstore, with one councillor branding its actions to gather public support for the plans as "disgusting".

Lidl had been proposing a branch, with an in-store bakery and 102 car parking spaces, on the site of Cheadle Heath Works in Stockport, Greater Manchester since February 2023.

However residents and councillors raised concerns, with nearly 60 people objecting to the application, saying it could lead to problems around the M60 slip road.

After the decision on the application was delayed from December, Lidl said more than 400 residents had signed an online petition in support of a new store.

Councillors said Lidl gave postcards to residents, which outlined benefits, and offered the chance to sign the petition.

Councillor David Meller said he believed the site should be sold to develop housing instead, adding: "The mischief perpetuated by this postcard that went out was disgusting, it was absolutely disgusting.

"I will still say now, the reason why it was delayed [in December] was to get this postcard out, that's my honest view.

"I might be wrong, but that's how it looks."

'Minimal harm to local area'

One resident told a recent council meeting that neighbours struggled to get their cars off their driveways because of the amount of traffic on Stockport Road.

"There's been so many accidents in front of our house and people have knocked on the door and said please can you give us your [footage], there's just been so many.

"I think [the site] has just been left so people get fed up with it and say we need something else. But at the minute it's not a place to put a big Lidl because the road is too busy."

Town hall officers recommended the plans were refused, saying they failed to "respect the positive character of the local area" due to large areas of car parking dominating the design, and concerns about the "scale, form and elevational treatment of the store building".

Speaking on behalf of Lidl, Jonathan Harper from property consultants Rapleys said any harm to the local area was "considered to be minimal".

He said the supermarket had "worked hard with Stockport Council highways to reach a position where officers were comfortable with the development proposed" regarding traffic.

He added a potential store would create 40 new jobs, a £10m investment and bring a brownfield site "back into beneficial use" with "high quality and affordable food for residents".

A Lidl spokesperson said: "After receiving significant local support, we were naturally disappointed that planning permission for a new Lidl in Cheadle Heath has been refused.

"We will now take the time to carefully review the feedback as we consider our next steps and look forward to keeping the community updated."