Officials have recommended plans to build a new Lidl supermarket on the edge of Downham Market be approved, despite a legal challenge from Tesco.

The budget grocery chain was initially given planning permission for a new supermarket on Bexwell Road last May.

But the go-ahead was overturned after an objection from Tesco, which has a store elsewhere in Downham and which claimed the impact on the town centre had not been properly considered.

Now, plans for a scaled-down store are set to go before councillors again on Monday, March 6, with officials having recommended it be approved.

Downham Market Town Council supports the proposals, which would create 40 jobs.

A report to councillors says 455 representations have been received in support of the plans, along with 28 objections and seven neutral responses.

It adds planning consultants Alder King came to "a finely balanced conclusion" over the impact a new Lidl might have on the town centre.

"It has been demonstrated that the proposed store will not impact on any in-centre investment," it goes on.

"Moreover, the evidence has demonstrated that the impact arising from the new store size is unlikely to give rise to significant adverse levels of impact on Downham Market town centre.

"The impact will fall most heavily on the existing supermarkets and these will give rise to direct and indirect impacts, through lost spin-off trade, on the town centre. However, on balance, this is unlikely to reach significant levels."

The report says the character of the eastern side of Downham has changed with the arrival of McDonald's and Costa on the A10 roundabout and planning permission for a large care home development.

It concludes there are "important material considerations" in favour, including creating jobs and reducing "trade leakage" to other towns.

It adds: "The proposals will broaden the retail offer available to the catchment through the introduction of a limited assortment discount retailer offering greater choice and potentially lower prices on certain products."