Torrington supermarket plan rejected
PLANS for a new Lidl supermarket in Torrington have been refused, by a single vote.
Torridge District Council's planning committee voted 5-4 to turn down the proposal.
-
Lidl
The decision was greeted by applause from members of the public who attended the meeting this morning.
Lidl had applied to build on New Street car park, Torrington Motors and a strip of disused garden to the rear of 176 New Street.
If the application had been granted, the supermarket firm said it would create around 20 full and part time jobs.
Torridge District Council owns the car park and had already agreed to sell the site if permission was granted, in a deal which would see the authority net around £500,000.
As well as the retail store and 68 car parking spaces to service it, the proposal included provisions for a replacement car park and a new bus stop on New Street plus a new crossing point.
The motion to refuse the planning application was made by councillor Margaret Brown, a Torrington councillor who is also the chairman of Torridge District Council.
The decision went against the advice of the council's planning officers, who had recommended approval.
Lidl can appeal against the decision.
For a full report and reaction see Thursday's
North Devon Journal
.
8 Comments
View all
by lynne Brown, torrington
Tuesday, July 21 2009, 10:17PM
“Tansy, I couldent agree more !!!”
by Tansy, Torrington
Friday, July 10 2009, 10:56AM
“Somerfield in Torrington just brings me out in trolley rage! They are so expensive and badly stocked. While It is up to us all to support the fantastic butchers and bakers in Torrington, which can't be beaten by any supermarket, I am completely fed up with having to drive so many miles for nothing when a decent supermarket is so badly needed here. How many more years is this going to drag on?”
by Annoyed, Torrington
Monday, July 06 2009, 7:15AM
“Words fail me. This would have been a brilliant opportunity to bring Torrington into the 21st century. Lidl would not have taken trade from existing business, but would have offered more choice to thise of us who like to shop locally. I spent almost an hour driving to & trying to park at Asda at the weekend just for some household products that are way too expensive to buy in Somerfield. Lets hope that Lidl do appeal!”
by Banksy, North Devon
Friday, July 03 2009, 11:42AM
“It is a bit of a red herring to quote job numbers in relation to supermarkets. The jobs they create are almost always at the expense of existing jobs in other businesses. Economies of scale mean that in reality they employ fewer people than the equivalent amount of business carried out by smaller businesses. That may not be an argument for turning down Lidl, but equally 'job creation' is not an argument for approving any supermarket.”
by Stacey, Torrington
Friday, July 03 2009, 11:25AM
“I was so pleased to see the other comments in support of the Lidl store. This is protecting a minority against the majority. I cannot believe that the council would prefer to see thousands of its residents travelling to Bideford & Barnstaple weekly to shop. What about jobs for now and the future, what future do our young people have for a career? Most shops are family owned and provide employment for 2 or 3, not the 20 jobs that Lidl can provide. Somerfield which is now the Co-op is expensive and very small, although they outline planning consent for a larger store that could be years away.
Come on Councillors this is not 1646 it is the 21st Century.”