Controversial plans by discount supermarket giant Lidl to build a new store on redundant land in Wolverhampton could see the demolition of a 131-year-old house.
Tory group deputy leader Joan Stevenson, who represents Tettenhall Wightwick, has hit out at the discount supermarket giant for buying up the house and fencing it off alongside the vacant land.
She said the potential loss of Fern Place on Finchfield Hill would come as a blow for the city, which has a shortage of housing.
The light green-coloured house has a plaque on its front stating that it was built in 1876. There are around 3,000 elderly people who live in Tettenhall Wightwick.
Councillor Stevenson said: “Our ward has the highest number of retired people in the city. This site already had planning permission for a mixture of housing. I believe the previous resident of the house was elderly and that Lidl bought it from her.
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“We do need housing, especially bungalows, and it is a shame that we could be about to lose a substantial house which looks to me to be structurally sound.”
Lidl’s application to develop the cleared 1.3-acre site of a former garage and car showroom was turned down by the city council’s planning committee last week.
But the door was left open for the Europe-wide giant, which has its UK operation based in Solihull, to come up with revised proposals for the design of an outlet on the prominent site. Lidl spokesman Matthew King said that the proposed outlet had been professionally designed specifically for the site.
The supermarket’s plan envisaged creating an outlet with nearly 800 square metres of shopping floor space.
It also included traffic calming measures and the remodelling of the busy junction, with two more pedestrian crossings.
But a 287-name petition and 44 letters of objection, including one from the ward’s three councillors, have been lodged against the development.
Lidl was today unavailable to comment about their plans for the house.
9 Comments
why dont lidl get it ” WE ” the residents of finchfield DONT WANT A LIDLS STORE OK we like the sense of community the local shops bring, anyway how long would it take, with a big car park for it to turn into a race track for mini motos and skate boards.time for a re think eh
I hope everyone who opposed the building of Marks and Spencer and Waitrose on the same site is now happy.
Why pull down a perfectly good house when there’s plenty of empty shop units available to use around the area i.e Bently Bridge,Wednesfield
Just another example of contempt for precious, vanishing,history. Blatant disregard for beauty and craftsmanship.
If this lidi crowd get the final ok, they should be made to move the house to somewhere like the Black country museum.
Oh dear the snobs of Finchfield dont want a lidl on their doorsteps!
I think they’re holding out for a House of Fraser.
Netto, anyone?
I dont think snobbery has anything to with it. Sticking anything in that area would just look wrong.
No doubt some twisted red councillors from the otherside of town will make sure it goes through. They won’t be happy until everyone who pays tax in finchfield has moved away to south staffs and then the fools in the kremlin will have less tax to waste. It’s obvious someone’s done a deal with Lidl or they’d have given up by now. They are a buisness after all, not a political party.
The house was purchased from the ex Chairman of the squash / tennis club! Elderly person? No doubt for a handsom sum. Lidl plans to keep the house and develop around it I heard. Funny, in referencing the snobs of Finchfield no one speaks up for the sizeable local authority housing estate off White Oak Drive. Also, surely the 3,000 elderly residents mentioned will prefer having increased choice and competitively priced groceries on their doorstep, so having to travel less!