Co-op thwarts Lidl in Bromley Cross

A High Court judge has “quashed” prior planning permission for a Lidl off Darwen Road, sending the application back to Bolton Council for redetermination.

The application had called for the building of a 12,000 sq ft Lidl store with 125-space car park, 43 retirement apartments, football pitches, and a 91-space park-and-ride facility on 27 acres of Green Belt. HTC Architects designed the development and Rapleys was the planning consultant.

Plans for the scheme were first submitted in December 2019. The application was formally approved by Bolton Council in September 2021.

Co-operative Group filed a claim against Bolton Council for the decision the next month. The subsequent court order from Judge Stephen Davies, which was made on 13 January, has now been filed in with the planning application.

According to the court the Co-operative Group had permission to challenge Bolton’s decision to approve the Lidl. Bolton Council was also ordered to pay Co-operative Group’s costs, which came out to £12,532.

Lidl, which was listed as an interested party, had not “filed an acknowledgement of service nor otherwise played any part in the proceedings and has confirmed that it does not wish to do so”, according to the order.

The judge noted that his decision was made after considering documents that had been filed on 11 October.

Bolton Council is expected to issue a response to the court order later today.

Looking to learn more? The application’s reference number with Bolton Council is 07518/19.