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Lidl's proposal for out-of-town store thwarted

Alison StephensonLocal Democracy Reporting Service
News imagePA Media The image shows a Lidl logo on a tall sign. It is a blue square, with a yellow circle outlined in red. The word "Lidl" is written in blue font and the I is red. The sky is blue behind the sign.PA Media
Lidl argued there was strong demand in the east of the town

Plans to build a "bigger and better" Lidl on the edge of a town have been thrown out, despite strong backing from local residents.

West Devon planners unanimously rejected the scheme and said moving the 25-year-old store from Okehampton town centre to Exeter Road would cause too much harm to the high street by loss of trade.

They also raised serious concerns about road safety, with the site facing a slip road off the A30 and sitting near several busy junctions.

Lidl said it had spent five years searching for land after deciding the current store, next to the East Okement River, was no longer fit for purpose and had no room to grow.

News imageGoogle The picture shows a quiet, open stretch of countryside beside a road. In the foreground there is a strip of short green grass next to the edge of the tarmac, followed by taller, rough grass and weeds growing along the roadside verge. Behind that runs a metal fence made up of vertical posts and horizontal rails, separating the road from a wide grassy field.Google
The field outside Okehampton where Lidl wanted to build a new store

The proposal included a larger shop floor of 1,529sq m, a warehouse almost double the size, better staff facilities and 119 parking spaces, the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) said.

The retailer argued there was strong demand in the east of the town, where hundreds of new homes have been built.

About 80% of people who took part in a public consultation backed the move and more than 400 letters of support were sent to the council.

However, more than 70 people objected, along with Okehampton Hamlets Parish Council and Okehampton Town Council.

News imageGoogle The photo shows a busy car park in front of a Lidl supermarket. In the centre of the image is the single-storey Lidl building with a dark, pitched roof and the Lidl logo clearly visible. The entrance area has large glass windows and doors.Google
The current Lidl store in Okehampton is 25 years old

Speaking on behalf of the Hamlets parish council at West Devon Borough Council's development management and licensing meeting on Tuesday, councillor Jan Goffey said the store was on the "wrong A-road".

She said: "There may be a lot of public support but the public do not always realise the full impact of proposals like this.

"Everyone recognises that several hundred new houses on Crediton Road need a local shop but this fails because it is too far to walk and carry shopping home."

She warned of a "huge increase of traffic" in an area she described as already "terrifying".

Committee chairman Ric Cheadle said many residents supported the scheme because they felt they would not need to travel into town as often.

He said: "I am very concerned about anything which would damage a town centre."

All 10 councillors voted to reject the plans.

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