Lidl has been given the green light to finally build a new ‘flagship’ supermarket in Havant – and it will be the first design of its kind on the south coast.

Havant Borough Council approved plans from Lidl Great Britain Limited for a “new larger, and more sustainable store format”, said agent Alistair Thornton of Simply Planning. His cover letter said: “This shall be a flagship store and first of its type in the south.”

The supermarket will be built on land to the west of B&Q in Purbrook Way, near Bedhampton off the A3 – but the chain had considered opening in the former Tesco in Greywell Road, vacant units on Solent Retail Park, the old Wilko in the Meridian Shopping Centre, or the empty Waitrose site in Waterlooville. However, documents submitted with the plans said these options were not viable and dismissed.

With officers approving the plans (reference APP/24/00330), the second for the site, it means the 2,185 square metre supermarket can be built. It will be 15 per cent bigger than the first application with 110 car parking spaces.

The first planning application, approved in 2021, was for a smaller shop with 131 vehicle parking spaces.

The budget supermarket will have wider aisles and the ability to stack products in greater depth, plans showed, and a new bellmouth junction will be provided from the site onto the private access road which currently serves B&Q. Designers said this will ensure right turning vehicles can always access the supermarket, preventing queuing back onto the Purbrook Way roundabout.

There were nine letters of objection from residents with concerns that varied from another supermarket for the area being “absolutely ludicrous” and traffic and road dangers to the environmental and ecological impact on habitats and trees. 

The residents referred to the chain already having a supermarket less than a mile and a half away in Leigh Park as well as one in Waterlooville.

To offset the cost of road improvements and pedestrian and cycle access needed around the supermarket site, Lidl has agreed to pay £143,175, up from the previously agreed £124,500, to Hampshire County Council for the required work.

The landscape team at Havant Borough Council as consultees said 45 trees will be cut down and only 27 planted – something which was concerning. It was concerned about the visual prominence of the supermarket and keeping a green corridor on the development. The report added: “A new cyclepath with a continuous band of soft landscaping adjacent to Purbook Way which would help to soften the appearance of the site.” 

Another consultee, the Forestry Commission, said: ”Ancient woodlands, ancient trees and veteran trees are irreplaceable habitats.

“Existing trees should be retained wherever possible, and opportunities should be taken to incorporate trees into development. Trees and woodlands provide multiple benefits to society such as storing carbon, regulating temperatures, strengthening flood resilience and reducing noise and air pollution.”

The site has already been cleared and Lidl previously said 40 full-time jobs would be created.