Lidl: Supermarket approved after five-year planning saga

A new Lidl supermarket in Londonderry has been given the green light following a planning process that has lasted more than five years.

The proposed store near Crescent Link retail park was first submitted back in 2021 and approved by Derry City and Strabane District Council in January, but the application was later called in by the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) in September that same year.

On Wednesday, Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins issued a Notice of Opinion signalling her intention to grant planning permission, subject to a number of conditions.

Kimmins said the store will see the creation of 70 jobs during construction and 35 full and part-time jobs when it opens.

Kimmins said she had taken time to reach a “carefully balanced decision” and said that the application had received cross-party support at council level.

Kimmins said she had considered concerns around the loss of land zoned for housing, Northern Ireland’s “town centre first” planning policy and maintaining confidence in the planning system.

However, she said significant weight had been given to the economic and social benefits of the development.

“In this case, I have attached significant material weight to the social and economic benefits of job creation in the Waterside area, greater shopping choices for low-income families, investment in the local community and strong support from elected representatives and community groups,” Kimmins said.

“With all of this in mind, it is therefore my decision to approve the application.”