Councillor says Hucknall Lidl plans remain on track after rumours project was facing delay or scrap

Coun Lee Waters, who represents Hucknall North in Ashfield Council, said he was “not aware of any issues with the project”.

Your Dispatch contacted councillors and Lidl last week after rumours surfaced that the supermarket project – planned for the old Hucknall Town FC ground on Watnall Road – faced being further delayed or even scrapped altogether.

Public support for the project remains strong, but concerns are being raised about why work to build the store has not started.

But Coun Waters said: “We are not aware of any issues with the planned Lidl supermarket in Hucknall. Work appears to be continuing apace for their new store.

“We have contacted Lidl to ask for an update on works following rumours and as yet they haven’t got back as yet.

“While nationally, Lidl appear to be cutting their cloth, they are moving forward with plans where planning permission has been awarded.

“We are keeping an eye on the situation as we are determined that residents face a choice over where to do their weekly shop.”

Planning permission for the project was first granted by the council’s planning committee during lockdown back in 2021.

At the time there were some objections, most notably from Tesco, amid claims of inadequate assessment of the impact the store would have on town-centre trading.

However, it was felt these could be dealt with without the need to bring the plans back before the planning committee again.

Last autumn, it was believed that all the issues had been sorted.

But almost two years since the project was first give the green light, the football club has moved to its new home on Aerial Way and the old ground has been knocked down but there is still no sign of work starting to build the new supermarket.

At the same time, questions have also been asked about proposals for 82 houses to be built alongside the project.

Lidl has been contacted for comment.