Lidl apologises for woodland mishap

Contractors working for supermarket giant Lidl “inadvertently” chopped down woodland as the site was being cleared for a new store that is being built in Telford, it has emerged.

Now the store company is seeking to make amends with a legal agreement and an offer to pay an extra £13,020 following the ‘chop-up’ which happened as the site near the Old Park Roundabout at The Rock.

Lidl has apologised for the error and is in direct talks with Telford & Wrekin Council about it. Store bosses say it remains on track to open in time for Christmas.

Planning agent Daniel Williams, of Leeds-based WSP, has told landowner Telford & Wrekin Council that the woodland to the west of the approved store should have been retained.

The agent wrote: “During the initial site clearance for the approved scheme, contractors inadvertently removed a portion of the woodland area to the west of the approved store location that was originally designated for retention.”

Developers have to make sure that their plans show a net gain in biodiversity but the issue has altered the approved approach. The company has now lodged an application with planners at Telford & Wrekin Council to sort the issue out.

“It should be highlighted that Lidl is proactively undertaking measures at its own expense to regularise the situation and address these issues,” the agent added.

They have proposed a revised landscaping strategy and biodiversity net gain approach.

“The provision of restoration of woodland on third party land will be funded via a separate legal agreement,” council planners have been told.

On October 16 this year Lidl held an informal meeting with council officers to discuss the strategy.

“It was agreed that Lidl would fund the restoration of woodland situated on third-party land through a separate legal agreement.

“Lidl will liaise directly with the council’s estates team at the earliest opportunity to progress the necessary legal agreement.”

The planning application documents say that although a portion of woodland previously intended for retention was inadvertently cleared, the applicant has proactively collaborated to develop a “robust and viable revised approach to landscaping and biodiversity net gain, ensuring meaningful ecological mitigation and enhancement”.

It adds that replacement of the woodland will be agreed via a legal agreement separate to this application with the council’s estates team.

It is understood that the contractors raised the error with Lidl which is now in talks with Telford & Wrekin Council to find a remedy.

A spokesperson for Lidl said: “We were very sorry to learn of this and raised this immediately with Telford & Wrekin Council.

“We’d like to assure the community that we are in direct conversations with the council and are working to agree on terms to remedy this.”