Lidl loses appeal to demolish houses and extend car park in Anchorsholme

The company submitted the application to add 17 extra parking spaces to its Anchorsholme Lane West shop to Blackpool Council on July 31 2020, four years after a similar application was rejected by planners.

The application, which would have seen the demolition of two Cherrywood Avenue and six Anchorsholme Lane West, was thrown out again in November 2020 following a ream of objections from members of the public.

READ: 'We will be homeless:' Anchorsholme residents and officials vow to fight Lidl car park plansAt the time, Council planners ruled that not enough evidence was put forward to prove the existing 81 parking spaces were insufficient to meet demand, and criticised the supermarket for previously demolishing properties next to its Bloomfield Road store in South Shore and then failing to develop the land.

Lidl appealed the decision to the Government Planning Inspector, who declined to overturn Blackpool Council's decision following an investigation.

Anchorsholme councillor Tony Williams, who objected to the plans along with fellow ward councillor Paul Galley, said: "Paul and I are delighted to inform everyone that the planning inspector has agreed with the council’s and our own objections and those submitted by residents in the local community and has thrown the application out.

"What that means is that Lidl are not allowed to extend their car park now or in the future.

"In summarising the inspector stated that the application to extend the car park would conflict with the local development plan and that there are no material considerations that would outweigh that conflict.

"So in practical terms there are no reasons at all for Lidl to demolish these two desireable and needed homes, although they do not need planning permission or approval to tear them down.

"If they continue with their plans to destroy these properties, they will be doing so without reason and they will be negatively impacting the local residential community.

"Paul Galley and I would like to thank all the local residents who supported our objections and we are delighted that the inspector has agreed with our concerns. We would also like to give a massive shout out to the council's planning team who put together a great defense and had the chutzpah to stand up to Lidl."

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