Lidl next to A41 near Watford approved despite traffic concerns

Shoppers coming from Hemel Hempstead and the north would have to turn right across the A41

Plans for a supermarket next to the A41 have been approved despite traffic concerns.

Motorists may have to turn across a busy major road to access the car park of a proposed Lidl near Watford.

However, consultants said plans were "generally compliant" and permission was granted.

Planning officers said Hertfordshire County Council could use legal powers to demand junction changes if it became a problem.

The supermarket chain has plans to build at the World of Water pond and aquarium shop, next to the M25 Hunton Bridge interchange.

Lidl's team said the development would be "a high-quality retail building that is sustainable, improves the setting of the local area and benefits the local community".

'Busy major road'

Plans for the shop showed that motorists coming from Hemel Hempstead and the north would have to turn right across the A41 into the car park.

Customers leaving towards Watford and the Hunton Bridge roundabout would also need to turn right across a lane of traffic.

Matthew Bedford, a Liberal Democrat councillor at Three Rivers District Council, described the A41 as a "very busy, very major road".

He said: "I certainly have severe misgivings about the access and about the right turns into the site and the right turns out of the site, both of which have to cross the A41."

Despite concerns, Hertfordshire County Council's highways team said the application could proceed.

Independent consultants said designs were "generally compliant" with standards and a right-turn lane into the supermarket site meet "the minimum requirements for a 30mph design speed".

At a Three Rivers District Council planning committee meeting on Thursday, councillors granted permission for the application.

'Reluctantly'

Councillor Jon Tankard, who attended the meeting as a community advocate, he said his colleagues were "running out of road".

He said: "We have a number of desktop studies which suggest this would work.

"Knowing that junction quite well, I am quite sceptical that it won't cause hold ups coming off the roundabout and crossing into the site.

"I appreciate many of the items have gone through an approval process, but I would like to raise the issue."

The Local Democracy Reporting Service said a reason to refuse the application was not put forward by committee members.

Councillor Steve Drury said council staff must consider that goods vehicles should not cross the A41 and instead make left turns only into and out of the site, using nearby roundabouts to turn around.

"I'm still very unhappy about the access in total, but the permission itself I'm quite happy to propose," Mr Drury said.

He added he made his proposal "reluctantly".