Agreement revealed for Lidl store at Shrewsbury Town

Shropshire Council has published the draft 106 agreement that will be signed between itself, Shrewsbury Town Football Club, and Lidl, and sets out the conditions that will allow the new store to go ahead.

The publication comes after a protracted planning wrangle that saw the application go before the council’s committee several times before a finally receiving permission to go ahead.

Under the terms of the draft agreement a new community pitch will be created at the rear of the stadium.

The 106 states that the pitch will be a “full sized grass (or otherwise suitably surfaced) community pitch for football”, and that it will be provided with secondary drainage.

The agreement says that the pitch must be available for use by the public on “similar days comparable to local authority facilities” and at “similar rates”.

It states: “The owner shall offer to make available to Shropshire Football Association and adults and children in the community at large the use of the community sports facilities in accordance with the community facilities statement at rates comparable to those charges levied from time to time by the council for use of its own sporting and recreational facilities at times to be agreed with the council.”

Two additional changing rooms, with shower facilities, and a referees room must also be provided.

Under the terms of the agreement £65,000 will be provided for “either new sports facilities” or to “enhance existing sports facilities within the local area”, as well as £4,000 to pay for a new bus stop.

Match day plans must also be submitted as part of the agreement and will be reviewed after the club has played nine home matches, and then again on the first anniversary of the opening of the store.

Shropshire Council’s planning committee finally agreed to approve the application last month.

It will see a Lidl built on land at the front of the club and a community pitch created on land at the read of the stadium – which has been used as the club’s training pitch.

The team will move its training to a new facility in Sundorne.

Speaking after the application was approved the club’s chief executive, Brian Caldwell, said the agreement was good news for the community, and for the club.

He said: “I am absolutely delighted. It has been a long hard slog and lots of work has gone in to getting it over the line. It is great news for Lidl, the football club and the local community. It is now going to provide a facility which will be used regularly by the community.”

“It is a win-win situation. The club are selling the land to Lidl so financially it makes us stronger, the community gets a great facility and the first team will move to a new base at Sundorne.”