Plans for a new Lidl supermarket at St Michael’s Retail Park in Ripon have been given the go-ahead.
Harrogate Borough Council’s planning committee today granted approval for the store, which the German retailer said will create up to 40 jobs and occupy three units at the £10m retail park.
Lidl also said the supermarket would represent a “multi-million-pound” investment into the Rotary Way site, which opened last year and is currently only occupied by Marks and Spencer.
Speaking at a meeting today, Liberal Democrat councillor Pat Marsh said she was happy to support the development because of the hundreds of homes set to be built in the area over the coming years, including plans for 1,300 homes at Ripon Barracks.
She said:
“This huge residential development is coming so there is a requirement to make sure that there is this kind of retail in Ripon.
“And what made me comfortable with this was the analysis of whether the store would impact on the city centre itself.
“Once that assured me it wouldn’t, I was very happy to support this to give the people of Ripon a choice in their shopping.”
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The Lidl plans were submitted to the council in May following a virtual consultation with the local community earlier in the year.
Today’s approval comes after separate plans for a Lidl store at the former Lookers car dealership on Harrogate’s Knaresborough Road were approved by the council last month.
Lidl previously said this store will also create up to 40 jobs once built.
