A CONTROVERSIAL planning application to build Carlisle’s second Lidl supermarket has been submitted to the city council.

It follows a public consultation last month surrounding plans to build another store on land adjacent to Botcherby Community Centre, by Warwick Road.

The initial plans prompted a wave of fierce backlash from local residents, with one setting up an online petition urging Lidl not to go ahead with its proposals.

Since it was published online by Rebecca Mooney, 23, the petition has attracted more than 350 signatures from concerned neighbours.

A statement posted alongside the petition said: “The land they propose to build this on is a flood plane - protecting many houses in the area from even worse flooding.

“It is also a heavily congested road, and this will make matters worse for commuters.”

The fresh attempt from the German-owned supermarket chain comes several years after a previous attempt by bosses to build a store on the same site in 2015, but was later withdrawn.

The proposed site is situated on a known flooding area, and was badly affected along with swathes of the county when Storm Desmond hit four years ago.

“The area is no less at risk than it was previously, and by signing this petition will help us prove to Carlisle City Council that we do not want this being built,” the statement adds.

In the planning application documents, Lidl state their wish to build a 1,256 square-metre store that would include 146 parking spaces, an in-store bakery, longer tills with dual packing, and would create up to 40 new jobs.

Since it was submitted, eight out the nine comments made are in objection to the new store.

One states: “Local residents have been dealing with constant traffic congestion for two years. The building works will only add to this and it is likely permanent traffic lights may be added for the entrance.

“We have plenty of supermarkets within close proximity i.e. Tesco, Aldi and Asda along with the local Co-Op in Harraby and other smaller shops [in] the area.

“Building on a flood plain seems to simply speak for itself, I can’t understand the logic for this. Constructions on this type of land have the potential to increase downstream flood risk by decreasing the flood plain storage. That doesn’t particularly appeal to me living nearby.”

A spokesman from Lidl said: “We are working with the Environment Agency to ensure measures are put in place to mitigate any flooding on site and to ensure that there is no increase in flood risk to off-site areas.

“We will put in place a car park management system to ensure availability of spaces for our customers, and would consider an ANPR system if required.”

  • Those wishing to make a comment on the application should visit Carlisle City Council’s online planning page, citing reference 19/0840.