Bishop’s Stortford Lidl: Plans for new store progress as retailer seeks approval for signs

Lidl has submitted plans for signs at its proposed supermarket in Bishop’s Stortford – 17 months after the German retail giant was granted planning permission to build.

The controversial £12m project at the former Gates car showroom site in Stansted Road is set to create 40 jobs.

Lidl submitted its scheme to planning authority East Herts Council in July 2021. After the council resolved to approve the proposals for the food store with 137 customer parking spaces in December 2022, shoppers were eager for the project to proceed quickly, but the site has been mothballed for more than a year.

During that time, the application was subject to further review by the authority, including the consequences for wheelchair user Vanessa Sauvary, who lives next door to the site.

Her family was concerned about how noise generated by the construction and operation of the store and then shoppers’ cars using the site would compromise her quality of life.

The council also reviewed the layout of the site, the sustainability of the scheme and its impact on other retailers, and in December last year it again concluded that Lidl should get the go-ahead.

This week, the company asked East Herts to allow it to install two fascia-mounted signs, one poster display unit and a totem sign in its corporate colours – all internally illuminated – plus three externally illuminated billboard display frames.

It told the authority: “It should be noted that whilst the proposed fascia signage will be illuminated, it is Lidl’s company policy, controlled as part of its building management system, to turn the illumination off outside of store opening hours.

“Thus, the fascia signs would not be illuminated beyond 10pm on Mondays to Saturdays, and beyond 4pm on Sundays.”

Lidl, which will become the town’s sixth supermarket alongside fellow German budget brand Aldi, Waitrose, Tesco and two Sainsbury’s stores, pointed to its rivals’ advertising to support the application.

“It is notable that the proposed signage is very similar to that which is already in place at the Aldi and Waitrose food stores within Bishop’s Stortford town centre and the Tesco superstore at Bishop’s Park.

“Furthermore, the nearby commercial units and car showrooms on Stansted Road (such as Mercedes Benz, BMW, Topps Tiles, Magnet and Homebase) all have fascia signage and totems.”

The new Lidl’s facilities are set to include a bakery and customer toilets, and electric vehicle charging for customers’ cars.

The budget retailer also plans a new store in Dunmow.

*To see planning applications and other public notices for your area, visit publicnoticeportal.uk.