Lidl revives plan for store on town paddock site

Lidl expects its planned new store in Ledbury would employ about 40 staff

Retailer Lidl has revived plans to build a store in a Herefordshire town alongside a new medical centre and children’s nursery.

It would go south of the roundabout between Leadon Way and Dymock Road, Ledbury, on what is currently a paddock.

A previous attempt to gain permission to develop the site was refused in early 2021, partly because of the feared impact the shop would have on the town centre.

Lidl, which has launched a consultation website, said it believed "the case for this mixed-use development has grown further in recent years."

Alongside the buildings there would also be "significant" landscaping and tree planting, as well as electric car charging points and cycle parking.

It expects the new store to employ up to 40 staff, with "around 80%" of the jobs being filled locally.

A full planning application for the scheme is expected to be submitted following the online consultation, as well as a drop-in consultation on 25 June at Burgage Hall, Ledbury.

The supermarket's planning appeal against the previous refusal was dismissed in September 2022.

"Following that decision, Lidl has undertaken further work to build its case for this mixed-use development, including further independent retail assessments," the retailer said.

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.