By Julie Waters
PLANS to build a new Lidl supermarket beside two Donaghadee housing developments have been strongly criticised by local residents.
The controversial plans would see a large supermarket built on 1.2 hectares of unzoned whiteland on the High Bangor Road, close to the Montgomery Meadows and Hadlow housing developments.
Planning permission was previously granted for 16 houses on the site back in April 2024, but residents and former mayor Mark Brooks have expressed concerns about plans for the supermarket at that site.
Concerns have also been raised that the development of Donaghadee’s first ‘out of town’ multi-national retail site, will negatively impact the area’s independent town centre traders, and set a precedent for other multi-nationals to move to the area.
Robbie and Rachel Lemon, whose property would be next to the supermarket’s proposed deliveries area, have expressed fears about noise from deliveries at anti-social hours, extraction fans and refrigeration units as well as light pollution.
Mr Lemon said: “I was born and grew up in Donaghadee and our concerns are two fold. Firstly, as residents of Montgomery Meadows, if you are in the back of our house and in the back garden, you will see how much it (the proposed supermarket) overlooks and destroys the residential amenity we have.
“We have issues about the anti-social aspect of the deliveries by lorries. The operational area is directly behind our house, where they will be making deliveries, there will also be noise from extractor fans and refrigeration units.”
Mrs Lemon stressed their concerns were notacaseof‘NotInMy Back Yard’ saying: “This area was previously approved for 16 residential houses but this is a complete departure to a large, brightly lit, commercial foodstore.”
She said the development conflicted with the suburban nature of the area.
“There is no retail here,” he said. “They would also have to rip out a huge hedgerow and 10 mature trees which would all be replaced with a car park for 144 spaces.”
Mrs Lemon said it was also important to consider the impact of the development ‘on the town as a whole’.
“A lot of the local businesses are independently owned. We have been speaking to a local shop owner who had concerns about the long term impact on footfall in Donaghadee and their long term viability.”
Said Mrs Lemon: “Donaghadee is known for its vibrant, locally owned shops and will the inclusion of a multi- national like Lidl set a precedent for other multi-national companies?”
The couple also raised concerns about increased traffic on the already busy High Bangor Road.
“The High Bangor Road is a 40mph zone and people generally don’t follow it. You are going to have a right hand turn (into the supermarket) across another lane of traffic,” said Mr Lemon.
They also raised concerns that the store’s large car park could attract anti-social behaviour.
“One of the biggest concerns about putting a car park at the end of Donaghadee is that when the superstore is closed there will be a gathering of cars and anti-social behaviour,” he said.
They have urged local residents to join together to oppose the proposal.
“We want to make sure our voices are heard, we want this to be a co-ordinated community effort and would ask people to sign up to our emailing list: donaghadeelidlobjecto rs@gmail.com.”
Alderman Mark Brooks said history has shown that out of town retail can have a major impact on town centres.
“I understand that as a growing town, retail will be in demand, there is an argument for new retail to be located at out of town locations, but we must be careful,” he said.
“History has shown that it can have a major impact on existing retail located in towns. The council did a survey a number of years ago and everybody in the north side of the town does their weekly shop either in Bangor or in Newtownards. All the shops in Donaghadee town are very busy and growing so we have to ask is Lidl going to affect that?”
He said the supermarket’s proposed location was ‘not perfect’. “For the people living next door to the supermarket, it will directly change the area. A lot of residents, who live close to the proposed supermarket are very concerned. People are also asking, if we get a Lidl there, what (major retailer) is going to come next?”
