Lidl representatives will spend a day at the Three Counties Hotel, to discuss the companies plans to build a supermarket on the site that is currently occupied by the hotel on Belmont Road in Hereford.
A number of local residents have shared their concerns about plans for a new superstore on the A465 (Belmont Road), due to existing traffic issues. Many are also against the idea of demolishing the hotel which is popular for weddings and conference events. However, some are supportive, due to the prospects of up to 40 full time jobs being created.
Your Herefordshire understands that representatives from Lidl are expected to spend the afternoon at the Three Counties Hotel on Wednesday 11th May. They will discuss any concerns members of the public have and residents will be able to view the plans in full.
Lidl’s intention to build a store at the Three Counties Hotel site was revealed by Your Herefordshire last week, when a planning application was officially submitted and published on the Herefordshire Council planning website.
Plans for a new Lidl superstore and Drive Thru restaurant in Hereford have been officially submitted to Herefordshire Council.
The plans detail the possibility of building a Lidl superstore and Drive Thru restaurant on the land where the Three Counties Hotel currently is. The owners of the hotel told Your Herefordshire in March that they had no plans to sell. Companies like Lidl can apply for planning permission prior to negotiating terms with the land owners.
The planning application states the following:
“Hybrid application for demolition of existing hotel and associated structures and erection of Class E foodstore with associated access, parking, servicing, drainage and landscaping (full permission sought) and erection of drive-thru unit with associated internal access and circulation (outline permission sought).”
The store would have approximately 100 parking spaces and 40 full time employees. Lidl would like the store to operate between the hours of 8am-10pm Monday to Saturday and 10am-4pm on a Sunday.
Concerns have been raised on social media surrounding access to the site, with the A465 (Belmont Road) already heavily congested, with Asda, McDonald’s and Tesco attracting huge numbers of traffic and the road being one of the main access routes into the city centre.
More details can be found on the Herefordshire Council website by searching planning reference number – P221090/O
As part of the planning process, Lidl did investigate the possibility of other locations in Hereford, including the former Debenhams unit at Old Market Hereford.
Documents show that this site, alongside the former Peacocks site were dismissed in the end, with the Debenhams building deemed too large and issues with parking the main areas of concern. The Peacocks unit was deemed big enough but the lack of nearby parking was a problem and the site had already been purchased and is currently in the process of being developed.
Another site that was considered was the Hereford County Bus Station, but again this was dismissed due to it currently being in use as a car park and the loss of car parking in this location possibly having a negative impact on the city centre.
Lidl also considered the Old Market Gateway site, but this has since been developed into a Premier Inn Hotel.
Full list of sites considered:
Site 1 Old Market, Hereford
Site 2 Old Market Gateway (Now Premier Inn)
Site 3 Union Walk Car Park
Site 4 former Peacocks unit, Eign Street
