Connah’s Quay: Plans for new Lidl supermarket on former Somerfield site given green light

German supermarket chain Lidl has been given permission to build its new store in Connah’s Quay.

The company has been given the green light by Flintshire Council planners for the store on the site of the former Somerfield on the town’s High Street which has been vacant for 10 years.

As a result staff at the current Lidl on Deeside Retail Park will move to the new build in Connah’s Quay when it is ready after the demolition of the former Co-op building.

The Deeside Retail Park store will then cease trading and be marketed for another retailer to take over.

There will also be a recruitment drive in the local area as the chain seeks more staff to work in the new store.

A planning statement submitted with the application by consultants on behalf of Lidl said: “The store will require up to 40 members of staff (25 full time equivalent) in order to operate in the most efficient manner.

“All 15 existing members of staff will transfer to the replacement store on its opening. The new jobs created by the proposal will comprise both full and part-time roles, with part-time hours ranging from nine to 36 hours.

“Lidl do not offer zero hour contracts. The range of positions will, therefore, offer flexibility in the number of hours worked, and are expected to appeal to a wide range of job seekers.

“It is expected that the majority, if not all, of the new members of staff at the store will be local people living in the local area.

“The recruitment process will commence four to six months prior to store opening to ensure that all staff gain sufficient training and experience at the existing store prior to the opening of the proposed replacement store.”

A Flintshire Council planning officer report on the application recommended the proposals be approved.

It stated: “The proposed new retail unit will be almost identical in scale to the existing building.

“The Lidl store will also generally occupy the same position within the site as the former Co-op store, with the customer car park located to the front/east and side/south of the building.

“The delivery area will be positioned on the western elevation and will be accessed from High Street through the store car park (not from Wepre Drive as existing). The design is relatively simple and consistent with other new build Lidl stores.

The report added: “The proposed store’s opening hours will be between 7am to 10pm Monday to Saturdays (including Bank/Public Holidays) and for a six-hour period between 10am and 6pm on Sundays.”

Approval, with conditions such as keeping to the agreed opening hours, was granted in a delegated decision made by Flintshire Council’s chief planning officer Andrew Farrow.

By Rory Sheehan – Local Democracy Reporter