Lidl fails in move to tear down social club
A social club has survived an attempt from supermarket chain Lidl to knock it down so it can extend its car park next door.
Halesowen Members Club had been eyed up by supermarket bosses who saw an opportunity to create more parking spaces at its Hagley Road shop by getting rid of it.
The car park would have almost doubled in size, with Lidl seeking to add an extra 75 spaces.
However, Lidl has been knocked back by planning bosses who have refused the plans due to concerns over safety and design.
Dudley Council officers were unhappy that the supermarket was not planning to create a new access point to the extended car park, meaning there would be added pressure on the existing entrance both on the car park and from cars waiting to turn in from Hagley Road.
They were also concerned about the extension leading to traffic problems on the busy Hagley Road.
Experts also said the extended car park would 'dominate the street scene'.
The decision comes as a blow to Lidl's plans to increase the capacity of its car park to get more customers into the store. The Hagley Road store opened on the site of the former Peugeot garage in January 2008.
The company has enjoyed a boom in recent years with many shoppers favouring it and discount rival Aldi over the traditional supermarket giants.
There will now be an anxious wait from the owners of the members club to see if the decision is appealed.
Bosses at the 1950s venue, which was formerly known as the Halesowen Labour Club, were left stunned when the application was lodged in October and said they had known nothing about the plans.
Halesowen councillor Nick Gregory welcomed the decision and said too many pubs and clubs were disappearing. He said: "I think it's much more important that we keep local trade, keep pubs and clubs going.
"Too much local emphasis has been on taking down pubs recently and trying to turn them into supermarkets and I think it's really difficult because these are the hubs of the local community and we need to keep them open."
In a report outlining their decision, Dudley Council planning officers said: "The car park extension would fail to provide an additional car park access onto the Hagley Road.
The scheme has the potential to prejudice highway safety and impact upon the free flow of traffic along theHagley Road and the users of the enlarged car park."
