Plans to move Lidl in Dereham still up in the air

The German discounter wanted to build a new store on the former Busseys car dealership site in Yaxham Road, Dereham, to replace its branch in Kingston Road.

But the plan drew scores of objections over fears moving the store onto such a busy road would lead to regular gridlock and traffic chaos. 

Breckland Council's planning officers recommended the scheme go ahead and planning committee councillors were due to consider it at a meeting in July - but the application was pulled at the last moment. 

Social media groups have been abuzz in recent weeks with speculation Lidl's plans had been secretly approved by the council. 

But Breckland has dismissed these claims and said the council was waiting for more information about traffic management from the applicant before its bid could face the  planning committee. 

Breckland confirmed that no new planning application has been received, and it has been waiting for Lidl to provide some additional highways information (Image: Archant © 2013)

Breckland councillor Alison Webb has been among the chorus of objectors to the plans, and when they were pulled from the planning meeting, said: “Common sense has prevailed.”

However, one person who commented on the council's planning portal after the meeting should have been held, said: "Can't understand why the application has been pulled from planning regarding new shop on Busseys site because of traffic and gridlock concerns?

"That's a pitiful excuse to use considering Dereham is gridlocked most days." 

Another commenter said: "The traffic situation at the entrance to and exit from this site are at many times of the day already a nightmare.

"For the planning department to recommend this for approval they must be completely unaware of the realities of the traffic issues in this area or otherwise ignoring them.

"Traffic surveys do not show the realities of the congestion in this area which seem to have been ignored long before this application was made."