Doubt over Shrewsbury Waitrose plan if Lidl store opens nearby

Bosses at Waitrose have raised doubts over the future of their new store earmarked for land on Oteley Road. Plans have been put forward for a Lidl just hundreds of metres away next to Shrewsbury Town's Greenhous Meadow stadium.

The 30,000 sq ft Waitrose has already been given permission to be built at the former Percy Thrower's Garden Centre site as part of a £40 million shopping development which also includes a new garden centre and seven shops.

It comes less than a year after Marks & Spencer opened its Foodhall on the nearby Meole Brace Retail Park in August last year.

Keith Jones, associate at HOW Planning LLP, said on behalf of Waitrose: "There is considerable concern that should both Lidl and Marks & Spencer come forward then the impact on anticipated turnover would be such that the Waitrose store would not be viable."

The Waitrose store had been planned to open at the end of last year, but in January a spokesman for the nationwide chain said they could not say when work would get under way. The delay was blamed on "market conditions across the supermarket sector".

The store would create dozens of jobs but Mr Jones said that there would be a significant of "trade diversion" away from the Waitrose store should Lidl be built, and could have a serious impact on the store's financial situation.

He said: "The overall cumulative impact on Waitrose when compared to the no development position would be approximately 15 per cent.

"It is considered this level of impact is clearly significantly adverse and would have clear implications for the viability of my client's investment."

Lidl first revealed its plans for the shop in November last year and said around 25 to 40 part and full-time jobs would be created.

The German discount food retailer already has a story in Harlescott, but the new supermarket on land currently owned by Shrewsbury Town Football Club between the club's car park and Powerleague pitches.

In documents supporting its application, Lidl said it thought building a store in the south of the town would have a positive impact for customers.

It said: "There are no existing discount foodstores to the south of Shrewsbury.

"The proposed Lidl store will, therefore, have a significant positive impact on consumer choice by not only catering for a market sector that is clearly in high demand, but also providing extended choice and competition within that sector for local residents in south Shrewsbury."

The plans are available to view on Shropshire Council's website.