Plans for a new Lidl supermarket on the northern edge of Gloucester at Gloucester Business Park in Brockworth have been approved by borough planners.
The proposed 1,975 square meter store will feature 118 parking spaces, including 12 parent-and-child bays, seven accessible spots, six electric vehicle charging stations, and dedicated cycle parking. Opening hours are expected to be from 7am to 10pm Monday through Saturday, and 10am to 4pm on Sundays.
Rosie Meehan, Lidl Great Britain’s regional head of property, highlighted to the Tewkesbury Borough Council planning committee that the site has remained vacant for decades despite previous permissions and extensive marketing efforts for employment uses.
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“While surrounding employment land has been fully developed and occupied, this site has yet to be brought to life,” Meehan explained. She added that the site’s challenging characteristics had limited past development viability, making the supermarket a sustainable and productive alternative.
Biodiversity was a key topic during discussions. Councillor Mary Jordan inquired about plans for local biodiversity enhancements. Officers confirmed that improvements could be made off-site, potentially in Malvern, following formal approval processes. Councillor Matt Dimond-Brown also supported the idea of delivering biodiversity benefits within the borough itself.
Transport concerns were raised as well. Both Brockworth and Hucclecote parish councils requested tangible upgrades to bus services serving the new store. While the application included plans for upgraded bus shelters and real-time information displays, Councillor Dimond-Brown stressed that furniture improvements alone are inadequate without enhanced bus service frequency or routes. Officials noted that Gloucester Business Park is currently unadopted but served by several regular bus routes, with a shelter positioned just north of the Lidl site near Tesco.
Councillor Mel Gore emphasized the importance of adequate electric vehicle charging infrastructure for customers. She proposed granting delegated planning permission consistent with officers’ recommendations, which the committee endorsed in a unanimous vote.
The development is expected to create up to 40 new jobs in the area and bring life to a long-unutilized site, offering both economic benefits and a focus on sustainable transport and environment enhancements.