Extension of opening hours at Netherton Lidl backed

Lidl successfully applied to Dudley Council to extend the operating times at its store in Halesowen Road, Netherton, for an extra two hours each day, increasing from 8am to 9pm, up to 7am and 10pm.

But it comes as Residents accused the store of already flouting its operational hours under its old set times, which included reports of lorries ‘thundering’ onto the shop’s car park at 5am and then leaving their engines running, waking residents.

A spokesman for Lidl said the store was addressing the issue ‘with the hauliers directly, to ensure that the agreed delivery windows are being adhered to’.

The spokesman said: “As we experience increased demand, it is necessary for us to have the flexibility in place to adapt our operational availability for the benefit of our customers.

“We were disappointed to hear feedback regarding the gates and out of hours deliveries.

“This is being addressed with the hauliers directly, to ensure that the agreed delivery windows are being adhered to.” Council bosses gave the green light at a development scrutiny meeting but said the store must adhere to the conditions that it will not open to the public before 7am and after 10am each day, and deliveries should not take place before 7am and after 9pm on weekdays, before 8am and after 9pm on Saturdays, and before 10am and after 5pm on Sundays.

Operating hours are different to open hours. The store’s opening hours – which are different from operating hours – are from 8am to 8pm on weekdays and Saturdays, and 10am to 4pm on Sundays.

Netherton, Woodside and St Andrews ward councillor Elaine Taylor, who spearheaded a campaign to stop the operating times changing, said: “I find it very hard for them not to have had their request granted.

“The pressure is there from neighbouring supermarkets.

“Primarily, although Lidl was already breaching the conditions, it wasn’t breaching them enough to stop them granting those further operating hours.” A council report into the application to extend the operating times said: “Objections have been received from the occupiers of three dwellings, which front onto Halesowen Road.

“One objector has now written in three times.

“An objection has also been received from a ward councillor.

“These make the following points: The store already infringes the opening times – the gates are never padlocked shut and have been left open many times.

“The flouting of the opening times seriously impedes the basic right of neighbours to have quiet time; and large lorries thunder across the car park to the rear of the store before 6am, engines are revved whilst reversing into the loading bay.”

Earlier this year, Lidl increased its presence in the Black Country by opening up a new 450,000 sq ft warehouse.

The site was opened near junction nine of the M6 in Wednesbury back in January.

It brought along the creation of around 500 jobs.

The warehouse was built to help stock the company’s growing number of stores across the Midlands region.

The development took around two years to build, and is passed by thousands of drivers every day on the motorway.

Lidl also recently donated more than two tonnes of compost to be used at parks and allotments in the Black Country. The firm made the offer to Sandwell Council following the opening of its warehouse.