Lidl store plan in Middlesbrough set for crucial council decision

Lidl hopes that councillors on Middlesbrough Council’s planning committee will give their proposals the green light next week, as the saga over a potential shop in Linthorpe rumbles on into its fifth year.

Thursday, April 9 will be judgement day, as councillors will have a moment of deja vu. In November 2023, members rejected Lidl’s previous attempt to build a store on the same site of the former Northern School of Art (on the corner of Green Lane and Roman Road), although plans have been revised since this failed endeavour.

Lidl’s resulting appeal from their last application was chucked out by the planning inspectorate in autumn 2024.

Council officers are recommending that members of the committee approve the plans this time around, in a change from three years ago, where the recommendation was one of refusal. 

The issue likely to cause the most concern amongst both councillors and members of the public at next week’s meeting is the proposed closure of Thackeray Grove, which currently connects to Green Lane.

Acklam ward Labour Councillor Luke Henman and residents in nearby Walton Avenue and Kingston Avenue are firmly against such a closure, highlighting several safety concerns.

With the meeting confirmed, Cllr Henman – who does not sit on the planning committee – posted on social media, saying that while he supports “the principle” of a Lidl store, the closure of Thackeray Grove will cause “real issues” and he has objected to the application in writing.

Middlesbrough Council officers say that this latest application has generated 53 letters of objection from different addresses, along with 113 supportive letters from different addresses. 

The officer report details how the last submission was rejected and dismissed at appeal due to concerns relating to the layout and design of the proposed development as well as highway safety.

Changes made as part of this application include more “suitable” materials being used as well as the removal of a pedestrian refuge, previously incorporated into the Green Lane vehicular entrance – a change which has made that element of the scheme “considerably safer”.

The closure of Thackeray Grove is still deemed “integral” to the application, in spite of concerns about Kingston Avenue and Walton Avenue becoming a “rat run”.

Documents add: “The developer has confirmed that they are willing to enter into a Section 106 Agreement providing funding for a potential point closure along Walton Avenue should it be required.”

The saga over the site first started in 2021, when Lidl felled a number of unprotected trees at the site.

The company submitted its unsuccessful application in summer 2022. The meeting that will see a crunch decision made on the latest application is open to the public to attend and will take place in Middlesbrough Town Hall at 1.30pm, on Thursday, April 9.