Waitrose and Tesco are the latest companies to object to plans submitted by Lidl to open a store at the Three Counties Hotel site in Hereford.
In a letter to Herefordshire Council, Firstplan, acting on behalf of Waitrose & Partners said that plans for a Lidl on the Three Counties Hotel site in Hereford would ‘significantly undermine the recent positive step-changes which have taken place in Hereford city centre in terms of diversifying and enhancing its retail and commercial leisure offer.’
The spokesperson on behalf of Waitrose & Partners went on to say they had concerns that the development would draw trade away from the city centre.
Waitrose is an anchor store of the Old Market development in Hereford and is one of the key stores that drives trade to that area, especially after the closure of Debenhams and Outfit.
Waitrose objection has also been followed by Tesco sending in a similar objection. Tesco has two superstores in the city of Hereford, as well as a number of Express stores.
MR Planning Practice, acting on behalf of Tesco, say that the planning application should be refused due to the lack of consideration for the impact on other businesses both in the city centre and also in out of town areas such as Belmont and The Oval.
Tesco says it has invested heavily in Hereford as a company and continues to invest in the city today.
You can view both objections on the Herefordshire Council planning website.
