New Lidl Store To Open In Killingworth

Plans have been approved by North Tyneside Council for a new Lidl store will be built in Killingworth in 2017. This new development of the food discount retailer will bring 40 new jobs to the community.

Commercial Property and Planning Consultants, Rapleys 3D CGI Design for the future Lidl in Killingworth.

Lidl will be built at the Chan Warehouse site in Stephenson Industrial Estate. The old Chan warehouse was demolished in 2014 and has been vacant land ever since.The new Lidl store is proposed to be 2,470 square meters as well as more than 120 parking spaces.

The application was passed unanimously by all members of the committee after it had been deferred from the previous meeting for more information, mainly where the plant was to be sited. Planning documents show that Aldi are hoping to open a store in Longbenton. An investigation was made to see if Lidl would effect Aldi's trade to find that the 2 stores will have no effect on each other. A report from the investigation states "the applicant states that their development will predominantly be serving Killingworth and the neighbouring residential areas. Hence, there will be very limited overlap in the catchments and subsequently no significant trade draw from the Aldi and Longbenton district centre"

There is to be a contribution of £14,800 towards retail employment and training, and a further contribution of £15,000 towards a public art commission, details of which are to be discussed soon.There are several ideas but nothing has been decided as to what form the piece of artwork will take.It is hoped it will be close to the site of the new store. No decision has been taken as yet as to the siting. The piece of artwork when decided upon, will be an important part of the history of the area, it's mining legacy and also celebrate the birth of the railway, with George and Robert Stephenson in mind.

The empty land where Lidl is going to be built.

There will also be new access provided, an upgrade of the footpath on Southgate abutting the site. The existing crossing on Northumbria Way is to be upgraded to a pedestrian/cycle refuge. There will be localised road widening where appropriate. Associated drainage, associated street lighting, associated road markings, along with associated signage. It is hoped the store will be operational sometime in 2017.

Planning officers want the plans to go ahead as it would help to redevelop an empty site which is an eye sore on the community. It is said that the new store will not impact existing centres.

The Lidl store will bring back into use a piece of land which has stood empty for quite some time, and we will finally be rid of the blue boards which have been around the site for what seems a long time now. It will also, as I said previously, give local people the chance of a different type centre.

Killingworth Local asked people in the Killingworth community their opinions on the new Lidl:

To find our more about the food retailer Lidl click here