Lidl drops plan to expand store into Fareham industrial park

The German retailer had hoped to demolish its current store off Newgate Lane and build a bigger store, which would have required using land on an adjacent industrial park.

But its contract with Rookery Estates, which owns the Apex Centre industrial park, has expired – and the company has made ‘the difficult decision’ not to extend it.

A spokesman for the company said: ‘As our customers will be aware, in order to future proof our popular Fareham store, which has been operating for over 17 years, we have been pursuing the opportunity to develop it.

‘One way that we have been looking to do this is by expanding the store, through the acquisition of land adjacent to it.

‘However, following the expiration of our contract with the current site owner, Rookery Estates, we took the difficult decision not to extend it.’

The company will continue to ‘explore opportunities for redevelopment,’ in the area, according to the spokesman.

He added: ‘It remains our strong belief that the local community would benefit enormously from a new Lidl store in Fareham.’

Councillor Sean Woodward, the leader of Fareham Borough Council, agreed there are areas of the borough that could benefit from a ‘budget’ retailer.

He said:’A budget retailer could fit quiet well in some areas of the borough.’

Cllr Woodward said he was ‘quite pleased' by Lidl’s decision not to extend the contract.

He said: ‘It’s very good news indeed.’

‘I hope that the owner will continue to let to existing businesses because they are very longstanding tenants in the area.’

Planning approval for the expansion of the store, which Lidl claimed would create 22 jobs, was granted in December 2017, despite opposition from businesses within the industrial centre.

Cllr Woodward said: 'I had the officers look at this application very closely indeed.

‘Everything was done appropriately.’