Local Green Party councillor Joe Salmon has voiced his concerns over the potential Lidl redevelopments in Westover Retail Park.
The new Lidl store in Bournemouth is set to be approved despite unresolved conflicts with the planning policy, size, and the design of the development.
Lidl’s first planning application was submitted in 2023, before an amended proposal was put forward in April last year with new plans aiming to see a dedicated cycle zone on Castle Lane West.
A fresh proposal is set to take place at a planning meeting tomorrow, and Councillor Salmon is feeling apprehensive about the decision that will be made, as he said: “We are watching town centre’s die up and down the country, and I think this is how they are killed through applications like this.”
He also went on to address the disappointment he felt for the buildings being knocked down to free up space for this proposal, as he said: “I don’t think we need more retail space and I’m not sure if the site is in need of desperate redevelopment.
“Those buildings are less than 25 years old, there is nothing wrong with them and I simply wouldn’t redevelop that site. If it isn’t broke don’t fix it.”
Instead of going forward with the Lidl redevelopments, he argued that this site has the potential to be both residential and commercial if it was to be developed.
“There’s no reason why [this site] couldn’t have houses on it and some kind of mix use.
“This should contribute towards providing more living space.”
Under the national planning policy framework, schemes failing to make efficient use of land can provide a reason for rejection.
While councillor Joe Salmon has made his views clear on this matter, the decision regarding planning permission will be made during the Eastern BCB Planning Committee meeting which begins at 10am tomorrow morning.
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