Green light for Lidl store

Possible new supermarket at site of Clifton Bridge Works, Brighouse

Calderdale Council have approved plans for a Lidl supermarket to be built on the former Clifton Bridge Works and Robin Hood pub site off Wakefield Road.

The development on Wood Street and Grove Street, approximately 125 metres from Brighouse town centre will sit in between Sainsburys and Tesco on Bradford Road.

Planning officers said on approving the proposals that the store will not have an unacceptable effect upon the vitality and viability of the nearby town centre

“The proposed development will have a retail character, which will be emphasised by the large elements of shop front glazing, as opposed to the industrial character in the immediate area,” said officers in the decision report.

“However given the proximity to the small retail premises to the northwest (including Subway) and the large Tesco store, which is 300m to the north of the site, it is considered that the proposal would relate well to the character of the locality.”

Issues had been raised about alternative sites in the town centre including premises in the Wellington Arcade and land on Lawson Road and Birds Royd Lane.

However, the Council were satisfied that the developers had examined the sites and were not suitable for the development.

The initial submission raised concerns from Calderdale’s Highway Network Manager, and also public objections over the access and road layout.

Amendments and a road report were submitted which aim to address any problems.

The development includes the demolition of existing buildings on the site, which will be replaced by a new 2,470 square metre store with 104 parking spaces.

The proposed foodstore is expected to create up to 40 employment opportunities.

The march of the discounter retailer is continuing and there are no signs of Brexit-fuelled food price inflation, according to data published yesterday.

The grocery share figures from Kantar Worldpanel, for the 12 weeks ending August 14 2016, show the market growing at 0.3 per cent.

Lidl was the fastest growing supermarket, with sales up 12.2 per cent. The retailer witnessed strongest growth in its key produce, dairy and chilled aisles, increasing its share by 0.4 percentage points on last year to 4.5 per cent of the market.