Lidl presses ahead with redevelopment of Liverpool’s Taskers
A 23,000 sq ft store on the northern part of the Wavertree Road site has been proposed by the retailer.
Lidl has submitted a planning application for a new store on 3.5-acre chunk of the five-acre former Taskers site in Liverpool.
To pave the way for the project, the 120,000 sq ft retail warehouse currently occupying the site will be pulled down. The southern part of the plot totaling 1.5 acres will be left untouched for now.
The supermarket will boast an in-store bakery and customer toilets. Outside, 137 parking spaces will be provided.
Rapleys and HTC Architects are advising Lidl on the plans. To learn more, search for reference number 25F/3430 on Liverpool City Council’s planning portal.
Lidl emerged as the successful bidder for the former Taskers site, which was put up for sale in 2024 with CBRE appointed to find a buyer.
The store will be Lidl’s fifth in a two-mile radius. The Taskers site is the second Lidl has attempted to redevelop in Wavertree.
In 2023 the retailer abandoned plans to build a store on the site of the grade-two listed Abbey Cinema for the second time following backlash over the scheme.
Lidl is growing rapidly across the country with a target of 1,100 stores over the coming years.
This’ll end up as another Lidl set in a sea of car-parking (to match the soulless Tesco across the road). What an opportunity for some fresh-thinking and maybe put some residential above, to mirror the residential uses to three sides of the site. Also a great opportunity for some properly green-led design, extending the green strip kept down one side of the site into the building fabric, benefiting not just shoppers and residents but also nature and the wider community.
Lidl can do better, they just need the council to stop accepting outdated normal and push them to be more forward thinking.
By Anonymous
Agree with the above comment. A gateway site on the edge of the city centre with a successful housing scheme on the other side of the road that could have been duplicated on this site.
By Anonymous
That’s quite a large site. I think this is a waste. Should be high density residential with ground floor commercial units.
By Chris
Another awful waste of land with a low-rise supermarket and surface parking. Liverpool talks the talk about re-establishing the population and good design. but once again ad hoc planning let’s them down. Look how big this site is, how many apartments and houses could also go on that plot. At the lower end is Edge Hill Station, ideal for commuting into town or in the opposite direction. Once again the Liverpool Planners show their inadequacy in overseeing urban design and engaging with developers.
By Anonymous
Get a move on I say need more development in the city
By Anonymous
I suggested that site to Lidl, and never even had a response of them.
By Thanks
Another Lidl, how exciting.
By Stevie G
Anonymous @4.02
You say “Once again the Liverpool Planners show their inadequacy in overseeing urban design and engaging with developers.”
Do you know something we don’t? How do you know planners aren’t trying to secure improvements? The application hasn’t yet been determined.
It’s not an easy job to get corporates like Lidl to change their format.
If you think you can do better LCC are currently recruiting for planning staff although I rather suspect the paltry salaries will put you off.
By Miss Dee Fyed
I am delighted that Lidl is growing the big supermarkets need this competition as they seam to rip people off If Lidl can survive selling items cheaper why can’t they good on you Lidl 👍👍👍
By Mrs Clague
@ Mrs Clague, although the margins are very thin, I think you will find Aldi is cheaper than Lidl, and this is backed by studies from Which and others.
By Anonymous
The site has been occupied for 8 years; plenty of time for housing development applications to be proposed. But none. A large residential area already with limited access to supermarkets for cheap food; whilst in one of the most poorest areas in the country. About time residents had a choice.
By Chris
Lidl have more range of products and fruit veg have longer shelf life
By Anonymous
Does Liverpool CC proactively go out and pursue housing developers with proposals and visions for sites like this, or sit back and wait to be contacted. All around the city I see acre upon acre of land laying idle eg Edge Lane, Scotland Rd, aren’t this Government desperate to achieve their housing targets.
By Anonymous
Absolute disgrace another third rate store that sell below standard goods, I don’t really know why iam wasting time writing this as who’s going to listen, I have lived in this area all my life and have seen a shopping area and community cut out of existence turning the area into a ghetto full of immigrants, who are not part of this community nor ever will heart broken resident.
By George
This to me seems to be a really prime site that is within easy reach of the new ‘Knowledge Quarter’ , the Royal Liverpool Hospital and Liverpool University that is about to be wasted on yet another retail development when there is already a mini retail park less than 400 yards away and a Tescos just across the road. The site should be occupied by businesses or organisations that service the earlier named sectors and also by housing for key workers that work in those areas. Access wise you could not really ask for better given that it almost adjacent to the end of one of the key gateways to the city i.e. Edge Lane and also as earlier mentioned Edge Hill Station. It just seems sheer lunacy that the site has not been taken up by others that could offer greater employment in the area along with some housing. I do wonder how well this site was actually marketed and to who it was aimed at. This is yet another opportunity lost in Liverpool.
By Brendan R