Lidl sails on in Wigan
The supermarket group has secured consent for a 19,000 sq ft store off Woodhouse Lane as its growth in the region continues.
Lidl’s site, at the junction of Woodhouse Lane and Whitworth Way, forms part of a wider plot formerly occupied by Betafence but now vacant, previous buildings having been levelled in 2013.
The Beech Hill service station sits immediately to the north-east. The site falls within the Springfield & Miry Lane primary employment area.
Rapleys has advised Lidl on planning for the project, with HTC Architects, a regular Lidl partner, as designer. HTC is also architect on Lidl schemes in Stockport and at Omega South Retail Park near Warrington.
In Wigan, Lidl intends to build out a 19,000 sq ft building, with a floor sales area of around 12,200 sq ft. Eighty car parking spaces will be created at the site.
Initial consultation was carried out, followed by a re-consultation following design changes. In all, 53 letters of support have been lodged, with 21 in opposition.
Planning officers had summed up that “the scheme will facilitate a new high-quality development that will regenerate and bring investment and employment opportunities to a vacant and underutilised site,” adding that the store will “enhance the visual appearance of the site and the surrounding area”.
Like rival Aldi, Lidl remains on an ambiotious growth path. Work started this month on a store in Garston, Liverpool while consent was secured in July to redevelop the Mocha Parade site in Salford.
