Lidl to open in Ormskirk as mixed-use plans approved

Developer Citypark’s plans for a mixed-use development featuring 51 affordable homes, a Lidl store, and six commercial units on the former Atkinson & Kirby site in Ormskirk have been given the go-ahead by West Lancashire Council.

The development in Ormskirk town centre is set to be brought forward in three phases. The first includes the affordable homes, accessed from Atkinson Road; these are split between two terraces of 20 one-bed apartments, 10 semi-detached three-bed houses, and 21 semi-detached and terraced two-beds.

These will be two storeys high and will be owned and managed by housing association Chorley Community Housing; all the homes are to be available for affordable rent.

The homes will be followed by a second phase featuring a 18,600 sq ft Lidl store; an area of land to the north of the potential store will be left vacant so Lidl has room to expand if necessary.

The plans by architect One Design also feature 119 car parking spaces, and the proposed store opening hours are between 07:00 and 22:00 Monday to Saturday, with reduced hours on Sunday.

A final phase will feature six commercial units of around 1,200 sq ft each; these will be set aside for non-food retail, trade counters, industrial, or office space.

It is estimated the Lidl will create around 40 full and part time jobs with the commercial units potentially creating up to 50 full-time jobs. The site is designated for employment use in the borough’s Local Plan.

The scheme was backed by the council’s planning committee at a meeting last week, subject to a Section 106 agreement which is likely to feature contributions to secondary education and off-site open space provision.

A final decision on the scheme has been delegated to the council’s director of redevelopment and regeneration, alongside the chairman of the planning committee.