Lidl store on Hayling Island is set to get the go-ahead

Planning officers at Havant Borough Council have recommended a proposal to build a Lidl store in Manor Road should be approved.

The multimillion-pound development will go ahead if councillors give it the green light at a meeting of the planning committee on Thursday.

Lidl UK’s regional head of property, James Mitchell, said: ‘We are extremely excited about the prospect of opening a store here.

‘We hope planning permission is granted in keeping with the case officer’s recommendation to approve, so we can bring a Lidl to Hayling Island.

‘The provision of a new store on will go a long way towards stemming the outflow of expenditure off the island to food stores on the mainland. In doing so, Hayling Island will be able to function more sustainably with the additional benefit of reducing the number of vehicle movements on and off the island.’

If the development goes ahead, it is expected the store will create up to 40 new full-time and part-time jobs.

The supermarket giant first announced plans to build the store earlier this year, giving residents a chance to have their say at a development consultation in March.

The supermarket claims the development would boast ‘state-of-the-art’ facilities similar to its recently-built Portchester store – including an in-store bakery, longer-style tills with dual packing facilities, customer toilets, baby changing facilities and parking for both cars and bicycles.