PLANNING bosses at Warrington pulled back from throwing out plans for a major new discount food store after hearing that some local residents supported the proposals.
The proposals involve a Lidl store with an association drive-through restaurant operated by KFC at the junction of Thewlis Street and Old Liverpool Road.
Officers are recommending the scheme be rejected and an independent retail consultant says it could have a significant impact on planned investment in the town centre and on the viability of the Lovely Lane neighbourhood centre.
But nearby residents say the site is an eyesore and the development would bring about a much-needed improvement.
Five members of the borough’s development management committee voted to defer a decision to allow the developers to amend their proposals while three voted to refuse the scheme.
Highways chiefs oppose the scheme on road safety and access grounds.
There is also concern that the new discount store would compete directly with a Co-op store which anchors the Lovely Lane centre.
The council’s arboriculture officer points out that the site, which has been left unmaintained for years, has been heavily colonised with willow, alder and silver birch, as well as many shrubs The removal of such a large number of trees, regardless of their amenity value, would impact greatly on the street scene.
The applicants say that Lidl would create 20-30 full and part-time jobs and KFC would employ 38 full-time and 15 part-time staff.
Lidl would be open from 8am to 8pm Monday to Saturday and 10am to 5pm on Sundays. KFC would be open from 7am to 11.30pm daily.
Earlier plans for a retail store on the site, submitted in 1993, were refused on various grounds, including likely impact on the Lovely Lane neighbourhood centre and on the vitality of the town centre.
Picture: The wooded site, viewed from Sankey Way.
