Plan for town's second German discount store aims to add a Lidl extra

DISCOUNT supermarket chain Lidl is seeking permission to open a second store in Christchurch.

With Homebase seeking to downsize its Bailey Bridge Retail Park store off Barrack Road, Lidl has agreed to take over part of its unit should plans be approved, writes Josh Wright of the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The DIY group has applied to BCP Council to divide its building in two with Lidl taking about a third of the unit’s space.

“It is proposed to reconfigure and extend unit 1 to create two units with Homebase downsizing and occupying unit 1b and Lidl occupying unit 1a,” a statement submitted with the plans says.

The floor space used by Homebase would reduce from just under 6,000 square metres to 3,600 square metres.

The remainder would then be used by Lidl, which already has a store in Somerford.

Council planning officers will consider the plans in the coming weeks.

The proposed outlet follows another Lidl which opened earlier this year in Hythe, on the site of the former St John's Street public car park which was sold by New Forest District Council.

Rival company Aldi has confirmed it wants to build a supermarket near the Tesco superstore in New Milton, on land currently owned by New Milton Sand and Ballast in Caird Avenue.