Plans to demolish a former Homebase and replace it with a branch of Lidl have been approved by Mid Sussex District Council.
An application for the site in London Road, East Grinstead, was given the nod during a meeting of the planning committee on Thursday (September 19).
In January 2021, Lidl was given permission to move into the Homebase store but, while that permission is valid until January 2026, the supermarket has chosen instead to demolish it and build a smaller, “greener” building.
It is expected to open in November next year and, the company said, would create 40 jobs – five full-time and 35 part-time.
The council received 10 letters objecting to the plans, with concerns about increased traffic and congestion and whether another food store was needed in the area.
While some members of the committee shared the concerns about traffic, no objections were received from the West Sussex County Council highways team.
The plans were approved unanimously.
Rex Whittaker (Con, East Grinstead Imberhorne) said: “I welcome a new business potentially coming to the town and what will be a great investment.”
But he felt the original consent given in 2021 had been “sneaked through on the back of covid under the radar” and had not been given proper due diligence, especially when it came to traffic.
With only one access to and from the site, Mr Whittaker warned that traffic would soon queue up, adding to congestion in the area.
He asked that a condition be added to the planning permission requiring Lidl to steward the situation – staff in hi-vis jackets guiding the traffic – as is sometimes done at a nearby McDonald’s.
Officers said that this was not possible but would be something Lidl could look into should it become necessary.
