Former factory site to be new Lidl store
PLANS for a new Lidl store on Coventry Road have been approved by the borough council.
The current Lidl store on Hawley Road has been open for more than 10 years.
In 2017, it submitted plans to relocate to a new home on Coventry Road in the town.
The budget supermarket proposed to knock down the old HJ Hall sock factory on a 2.25 acre site and replace it with a new store of 2,146sqm.
It is expected that the new build will transfer its current staff from Hawley Road and create 10 new opportunities for employment in the town.
The proposal was approved by councillors on the Planning Committee of Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council.
Lidl UK’s regional head of property, Colin Rimmer, said: “We are always looking at ways to improve our existing store portfolio.
“We’ve seen incredible demand in the Hawley Road Lidl store so have decided to take this step to relocate and improve our offering in Hinckley.”
The design and access statement for the application states the proposal is to demolish the existing buildings and build a new single storey GIA Lidl foodstore building on the west side of the site with a 118 space customer car park on the east.
A new highway access will be created from Marchant Road into the site and there will be steel balustrade guard railings on top of the retaining wall and sets of steps at each end for public access.
Lidl says the new building will be built in a contemporary style with a clean, modern appearance.
It also says the building will be fully glazed at the south gable end and the entrance area presenting a bright, welcoming presence, with a broad shading canopy sheltering the entrance and trolley store to prevent any solar gain.
The demolition of the HJ Hall factory marks the end of an era which saw socks manufactured on the site for 130 years until production ceased in 2016.