Mansfield set for new Lidl store

At a meeting of Mansfield District Council's planning applications committee, councillors voted six in favour and two against the new store.

The new discount supermarket will be developed on the former site of the Rippon Homes head office, off Leeming Lane South - close to the newly-opened Aldi.

Planning officers had recommended that the application be given conditional permission

The plans were deferred at a meeting of the committee in September, and Nottinghamshire County Council's highways department were asked to justify why they hadn't objected to the plans.

A report to the councillors on the committee stated: "Following various discussions and the submission of an amended plan, the Highway Authority state that a suitable access arrangement has been agreed and whilst this is not strictly to DMRB standards they have been advised that it is likely to be approved by the Departures Board and therefore is acceptable subject to conditions.

"A CCTV camera would assist to enable the manual override of the junction control to move vehicles through the junction better when congestion is experienced and this should be secured via planning condition.

In a statement to the planning committee, the highways department state: "The Highway Authority have commented that the traffic data used to model the junction shows that the junction will work within capacity but that there will be an adverse effect on the Old Mill Lane/Butt Lane junction.

"The data and modelling cannot be argued with – it is what it is.

"With regard to that junction, there is nothing that can be done within existing highway land to improve matters."

Councillors on the committee debated the application at the meeting.

Councillor Marion Bradshaw read a statement on behalf of Councillor John Coxhead, who could not attend the meeting.

The statement read: "My main concern is the four ways junction, and how this will effect the worst piece of highways road junction in the area.

"The junction is a nightmare hell to have to travel through, and it's adding unfair congestion to residents who have no choice but to travel through it."

Councillor Philip Shields said: "I use that road a hell of a lot, and since Aldi opened, the bottleneck has not been as bad.

"The only time is is bad is during rush hour, just like anywhere in Mansfield."