Supermarket giant Lidl has triumphed over rival Sainsbury's to land permission for a new Liverpool store.
The German budget chain submitted plans to build a new supermarket and a Tim Horton's coffee shop on land around Great Homer Street in Everton. The company wants to build a 1,400sqm retail store on land bordering Skirving Street and Jennifer Avenue.
Lidl's plans came before Liverpool City Council's Planning Committee today. As well as hearing the company's hopes for the development, councillor's heard strong opposition from Sainsbury's which has a store close to the planned build site.
READ MORE: Woman thrown to ground by police officer after city centre row
Sainsbury's raised 'serious concerns' that a new Lidl would impact its own store, would be “in direct competition” with it and would be “drawing significant and essential trade/turnover from it.” Speaking at today's town hall meeting, Bruno Moore, the supermarket's Head of Town Planning said there were 'strong planning reasons' to object to Lidl's proposal.
He added: "Lidl have not conducted a proper retail impact assessment, I think they are nervous about what that assessment would show." He said that the Sainsbury's store at Great Homer Street 'significantly underperforms' compared with the national average and that this would be impacted further by a new Lidl opening.
A spokesperson for Lidl told the meeting that local people were not concerned with the issues being raised by Sainsbury's. He added: "Local people are excited at the choice this will bring to the area. They are also excited about the hundreds of jobs it will bring to the area. It is not the responsibility of this committee to protect Sainsbury's interests."
Both planning officers and the elected committee agreed with this assessment. Officer's told the meeting that they were satisfied that the test to allow another retail shop to open in the area had been met.
Committee member Cllr Joe Hanson said: "I don't have any concerns about providing competition for Sainsbury's or anyone else and I certainly welcome the jobs this will bring to the area." The committee voted unanimously to approve the Lidl plans, with no members objecting. Lidl said work will begin on the new site next week, with a view to the new shop opening before Christmas.
