PLANS by supermarket giant, Lidl to replace its store a Punches Cross with a bigger one have been halted.
And the German retailer chain has accused Tesco of being a ‘serial objectors” after it failed in a bid to get planning permission for a 1,690 sq m store on the site of the existing Lidl.
Lidl has claimed that Tesco lodged up to 20 objections to the new store on grounds of size, claiming it was too big for a site zoned as a local centre and inconsistent with planning guidlines that say anchor stores should be no larger than 400 sq m.
Limerick City and County Council has ruled in favour of the Lidl plans to demolish the existing store and build a new one but had put a 1,250 sq m limit on the size of the new store.
Lidl had appealed the decision on the size as well as a requirement that they pay €163,550 development levy.
The supermarket said that the conditions made the project unviable and called on the planning authority to clarify Tesco’s objections in relation to the store.
As well as objecting to the store on grounds of size, in its appeal, Tesco said it raises objections “only where there os a legitimate planning ground or precedent to justify the objection.
The original decision to grant permission was overturned by an Bord Pleannalla,. The board noted that the new proposal was for a store 68 per cent bigger than the existing one.
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