How Walsall Wood's new Lidl on site of old Horse and Jockey pub will look

A five-acre site, previously occupied by the Horse and Jockey pub, In Walsall Road has been bought by retail giant Lidl for an undisclosed sum from pub company Marston’s.

Lidl has gained planning consent for a new 24,488 sq ft discount store which could create around 40 new jobs. Construction is expected to start this year.

Chris Gaskell, agency partner at commercial property consultancy Johnson Fellows, acted on behalf of Lidl to acquire the site at Walsall Road. He has acted for the company on other deals across the country.

He said: “We have established a very successful working relationship with Lidl and we are thrilled that we have been able to complete the acquisition of this prime five-acre site from Marston’s on the company’s behalf.

“It means that construction can now get underway, bringing investment, new jobs and a fantastic new store to the area, and I am very much looking forward to seeing progress on the site.”

The plans were approved last year.

Walsall Council planning officers had initially recommended refusal due to concerns over the loss of mature trees and the negative impact the development would have on the green belt.

Lidl representatives said all trees lost would be replaced and that only a small part of the store would fall within the green belt.