THE OWNER of Erneside Shopping Centre in Enniskillen has submitted a formal objection to the proposed new retail Lidl unit at Lakelands Retail Park.
Although admittedly submitting this objection at a late stage in the process, they said it is made in good faith and with the intention of safeguarding the long-term vitality and viability of Enniskillen town centre.
“This latest application, in our view, presents a clear threat to the continued vitality and viability of Enniskillen Town Centre,” the objection stated.
“The proposed legal agreement set out in the officer report to committee (namely the five-year commitment to the existing Lidl store) and draft Condition 1 restricting occupancy of the new unit do not go far enough in terms of safeguarding Enniskillen Town Centre.
“They leave open the possibility of the town centre store closing in the medium term, which could have irreversible consequences for the town centre’s overall health.”
The Erneside owners therefore made a request for “the associated legal agreement includes a more robust mechanism such as a clause requiring the closure of Lidl’s out of centre store at Lakelands Retail Park before the closure of its town centre store.”
The objection letter also highlighted quantitative and qualitative concerns.
“In terms of quantitative and qualitative need, the proposed convenience floorspace exceeds the projected capacity identified in the Council’s 2020 Retail Needs Assessment Update,” it said.
“Although this objection is submitted at a late stage, it is made in good faith and with the clear objective of safeguarding the long-term vitality and viability of Enniskillen Town Centre.”
Despite over 270 individual objections from locals to the new Lidl proposals, Fermanagh and Omagh Council planners recommended granting permission for the German supermarket.
However, when the application was put to the Council’s planning committee in March, the decision was delayed following submissions and objections from both Tesco and Retail NI.
In their submission, Retail NI noted the fact Lidl application had been processed by the Council – between January and March – was “extremely unusual.”
The body said it was representing a number of independent retailers in Enniskillen, who had “significant concern” about the impact of the development on the town centre.