Waitrose gives no guarantees over Shrewsbury store

Waitrose says it is continuing to look at options for its Oteley Road site, which has been in limbo since the firm was granted planning permission in 2012.

Plans for the proposed 30,000 sq ft store were approved for land next to Percy Thrower’s Wyevale Garden Centre on Oteley Road.

However, the project has faced repeated delays and was the focus of a row with rival firm Lidl over the budget retailer's plans for a store on land at neighbouring Shrewsbury Town Football Club.

Last week saw Lidl's protracted planning wrangle over the site finally settled, with approval for a new store granted by Shropshire Council's Central Planning Committee.

Speaking in the wake of the decision a spokesman for Waitrose said: "We are continuing to review our plans and look at options for a store on the Oteley Road site."

The firm had been vocal during the planning process for Lidl, writing to Shropshire Council and asking it to reject the plans.

In a letter Ken Harrison, acquisitions and development manager at Waitrose, warned that approval for Lidl would put his company's plans in jeopardy.

He said: “I am still unable to say when the new store will be built, or indeed whether we would want to vary the application to improve its viability, but what is certain is that if the council approve the Lidl planning application, as a result of the impact it will have on our trade, it will seriously jeopardise the chances of this store happening.”

Chris Smith, on behalf of Lidl, responded by claiming that Waitrose had offered no guarantees over its plans.

He said: “The proposed Lidl store has not singularly brought the viability of the approved Waitrose into question. If the Lidl scheme were to be refused planning permission, as HOW recommends, Waitrose still does not offer any guarantee to deliver the approved Waitrose store.

“Lidl is committed to opening a store on Oteley Road in 2017, guaranteeing the creation of up to 40 new jobs. Lidl’s investment and job creation should not be put on hold while Waitrose procrastinates.”

Waitrose had said in 2014 that its store would create up to 200 jobs.

Last week Shrewsbury Town Football Club's chief executive Brian Caldwell welcomed the Lidl decision, and said he hoped the firm would start work by the end of next month.

He said: "Lidl is hoping to start initial works by the end of May. It is keen to get started as soon as possible. There are some works around the gates so it is important that during the close season we get any work we can done to minimise the effect on football matches.”