New Lidl plan for Hereford asylum-seeker hotel site

The Three Counties Hotel houses up to 120 asylum seekers

Supermarket Lidl's plans to knock down a hotel currently being used to house asylum seekers and replace it with a store have resurfaced.

The firm made an earlier outline proposal for Hereford's Three Counties hotel site more than a year ago, attracting more than 200 letters of objection.

The latest application includes a proposed store with less floor space.

It is expected to provide 40 full-time-equivalent jobs, the company said.

The company now describes the earlier outline proposal application over the hotel on the A465 Belmont Road as "withdrawn".

But Herefordshire Council's website shows it as still active and undecided on, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

The hotel currently houses up to 120 asylum seekers after a 12-month contract was signed by its current owners earlier this year.

Plans in the latest application show floor space of just under 2,000 sq m, down from 2,700 sq m and have 118 parking spaces.

In light of advice from council officers, the new application also proposes improvements to access from Belmont Road.

Lidl said it had no plans to offer additional services from the branch, such as the takeaway food option previously proposed.

The current hotel occupies 3,100 sq m and the store proposed in the latest application would have floor space of just under 2,000 sq m

The new application also addresses transport, flood risk, ecological, landscaping and noise issues.

Comments on the application can be made until 13 July.