Reader's Letter: Lidl's 'aggressive' development strategy

by Richard Armstead

Monday 22^nd January 2018

Mon 22^nd Jan 2018

It is clear from the Financial Mail on Sunday's article yesterday that Lidl has an aggressive 'modus operandi' when it comes to selecting sites for their expansion in the UK and Ireland. They find a vulnerable community asset, brow beat the sitting tenant into relinquishing their lease, grab the land from beneath their feet and convince the local council that they are developing the site for the benefit of the local community.

The Cheshire East case officer's recommendation to approve the Lidl development at Summerfields Village Centre, shows that CE development managers are complicite in support of such moves. The Cheshire East Local Strategy Plan was 7 years and £3.7M in the making, finally adopted in July 2017, but the case officer has chosen a 'saved policy' from before 1997, as the sole basis for his economic sustainability argument. This flies in the face of both the local plan and government legislation that calls for a 'Town Centre First' approach to retail development, so protecting both Wilmslow and Handforth town centres from unsustainable developments of this kind. At the same time, this golden thread of 'sustainable development' in the statutes, aims at protecting community assets, in this case a well patronised swimming pool and fitness centre, from attack.

It is about time that Cheshire East Council demonstrate that they have the residents of Cheshire East, as the centre of their attention, and not developers hellbent on destroying their local infrastructure. It is interesting to note that the extensive development planned at Earl Road, Stanley Green Retail Estate is seen as a possible threat to the vitality and viability of Macclesfield Town Centre. Can you imagine the impact on Wilmslow and particularly Handforth town centres, and local traders, of this 'go to' Retail Park Lidl store if approved at Summerfields Village Centre? This is a 27000 square foot major Lidl supermarket, of which I cannot find larger in the UK.

Tags:: Lidl, Reader's Letter

Comments

Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.

Bob Bracegirdle

Tuesday 23^rd January 2018 at 4:16 pm

Laissez faire Private Enterprise at work. Don’t be surprised.

John Ledgard

Tuesday 23^rd January 2018 at 4:52 pm

Let Lidl come to the village. If they don't do a good job at supplying a service they will close
and leave or if they do everyone will benefit.

If the snobs are concerned they can always take their Waitrose carrier bags in with them and pretend they don't use the store.

Harry Martin

Tuesday 23^rd January 2018 at 9:27 pm

Don't think you need to be a snob and Lidl is already there anyway . Given their ability to pay the rent I think it has already been built .

Tony Ratcliff

Wednesday 24^th January 2018 at 1:55 pm

The Town Centre First policy is a planning nonsense. Where major retailers occupy town centre sites the effect on property rents and car parking are deeply detrimental to the town's amenity. What town centers need is more, much more residential accommodation and social facilities like restaurants, bars and local shops to serve those residents. Supermarkets are better by far in out of town center situations. Please do not imply that Wilmslow and Handforth lack convenient leisure facilities; I can think of at least four within ten minutes of the Lidle site. Lidle and Aldi have had an immeasurably beneficial effect upon the price structures of the other major supermarkets and that can only benefit our communities.