New homes could be built next to a new Lidl supermarket in north Liverpool on the site of a former fire station. The German retail chain has secured vital planning permission from the city council to construct its newest store in the city on the former Croxteth fire station land on Storrington Avenue.
Demolition Underway and Housing Potential
With demolition of the old buildings now underway, it was revealed the wider footprint could also provide additional housing for the area. Faye Heeley, agent on behalf of Lidl, revealed to the local authority's planning committee that the space was too big for a new store alone. As a result, the retailer is in early talks to sell part of the site to a housebuilder for additional development.
Ms Heeley told councillors how the new shop represented a “multi-million pound” investment for Lidl into Croxteth. Lidl began trading in the UK in November 1994, with almost 1,000 stores across the country now open.
Store Design and Job Creation
The new building will take the form of a single-storey retail unit. It will be set back from the Storrington Avenue frontage, with a large surface-level car park located to the front of the building. The development will provide a total of 120 car parking spaces for customers and staff.
Ms Heeley said 40 new jobs would also be created. She said the new store would “remove the barrier” of customers in Croxteth having to travel further afield to shop. The agent said the retail firm was “in the process of selling” a portion of the land to a housebuilder but couldn’t be drawn on the nature of the possible future development.
Community Reaction
Cllr Lila Bennett, Croxteth Country Park ward member, said the new shop was a welcome addition. She said Croxteth had been without a proper food shop for a long time, while Cllr Pat Moloney added how Lidl would represent a “real community asset” and represented a “very, very commendable project”.
Cllr Joe Hanson said the area was “desperate” for the dozens of new jobs that would be created through the opening of the new shop, adding how Croxteth had been “deprived for many, many years of this kind of facility”. The Kirkdale East ward member also said the former fire station was “important to us and the city” and called for signs around the site to be retained to act as a reminder of the heritage on the site.
Several specialist training structures remain in place, including a dedicated training centre building, smoke house, and other purpose-built fire training areas, together with associated internal and external storage spaces. These existing buildings will be knocked down for the creation of the new supermarket.
