Lidl plans new store right next to Aldi in Welsh town

Lidl is preparing to go head-to-head with Aldi at a Flintshire retail park. Proposals for a new Lidl outlet at Broughton Shopping Park reveal its location will be 70 metres from an established Aldi store. The two supermarkets will be divided only by a Chester Road roundabout situated between Airbus and the principal retail park. The planned outlet measures just under 2,000 square metres – marginally bigger than the Aldi across the road. It would feature 138 car parking bays but only two equipped with EV charging facilities. Approval is being requested from Flintshire Council to construct the outlet on 1.3 hectares of undeveloped grassland beside the roundabout. Previously the plot was designated for a medical centre, pub/restaurant and 80-bed hotel accommodating up to 381 parking bays. Approval was secured in January 2015 but the development never came to fruition, reports North Wales Live . The fresh Lidl proposal was lodged by The British Land Company (BLC), which also holds ownership of Broughton Shopping Park. Planning documentation suggests the outlet would generate up to 40 full and part-time positions. Consultants Carney Sweeney said: "The applicant has considered a range of development options to best respond to the constraints and opportunities of the site. "The store will be built in accordance with Lidl's latest specifications, providing a contemporary and sustainable design. "The proposed Lidl food store will deliver a contemporary, high-quality retail building that integrates with its surroundings and enhances the streetscape along Chester Road. "The store is positioned in the north-eastern part of the site, with customer parking to the south and west, ensuring convenient access and strong visual and physical connections to Broughton Shopping Park." The building, as outlined in the plans, will feature a glazed frontage to maximise natural daylight, along with a "feature canopy" marking the main entrance. It's set to be constructed with energy efficiency in mind, meeting Lidl's sustainability criteria, with PV solar panels on the rooftop generating zero-carbon energy. Six trees will be lost to create two public access points to the south of the site. At a pre-application meeting in October 2025, Flintshire Council informed the applicant that the site is acceptable in principle for development according to the council's local planning framework. The applicant was, however, advised to undertake a Retail Impact Assessment. This is required to "demonstrate no adverse effect on the vitality and viability of nearby centres, including Mold, Buckley, Saltney, Queensferry and Broughton". As the application has been assigned to a case officer, public consultations have yet to open. Flintshire Council has set a target date of July 16 to determine the application. Should it receive approval and be constructed, the store's trading hours would be 7am-10pm Monday to Saturday, and 10am-4pm on Sundays.