Lidl Ireland has issued a stinging rebuke to rivals such as Tesco Ireland and Musgrave Group, noting that ‘serial objections’ to new Lidl store developments ‘are part of a planned and sustained campaign to delay the construction or refurbishment of Lidl stores’.
Lidl was commenting following the granting of planning permission for a new outlet at Knocknacarra, in Galway – the construction of which is to start imminently.
Lodging Objections
Lidl said that at the time of the planning submission for the store, this past summer, Tesco Ireland and RGDATA (a representative group for independent retailers, including Musgrave) lodged objections.
‘This mirrors a similar pattern of observations which they have made in respect of nearly 80% of Lidl planning applications for the construction of new stores and major refurbishment projects over the past three years,’ the discounter noted.
‘Lidl has long held the view [that] the serial objections from both Tesco Ireland and RGDATA are part of a planned and sustained campaign to delay the construction or refurbishment of Lidl stores,’ it added.
‘The fact that 93% of new-store planning applications granted to Lidl have been upheld by An Bord Pleanála [Ireland’s planning authority] illustrates the lack of success [Tesco Ireland and RGDATA] have had in convincing the final arbitrator on the merits of their objections,’ it further noted.
Delaying Tactics
The discounter said that it felt obliged to speak out about what it called ‘vexatious delaying tactics’ on the part of Tesco Ireland and RGDATA.
‘The actions of Tesco Ireland and RGDATA serve their individual interests only; actions which are anti-competitive, anti-better value for consumers and anti-job creation. In lodging objections on spurious and, in many instances, on contradictory grounds both Tesco and RDGATA are misusing the planning system designed to cater for bona fide observations,’ it noted.
Lidl added that this ‘misuse’ of the planning process ‘not only results in additional work at unnecessary cost, ultimately borne by the taxpayer, but also takes up the valuable time of planning bodies.’
‘Vibrant Towns’
Responding to Lidl's accusations, Tara Buckley, director general of RGDATA, said, “RGDATA is the representative association for independent, family-owned shops in Ireland. RGDATA supports the government’s retail planning guidelines, which promote sustainable retail planning and vibrant towns and villages. RGDATA is involved in a major project with the Heritage Council to ensure the regeneration of Ireland’s town centres.
“RGDATA is not a vexatious objector. We base all our planning objections on sustainability and vibrant towns and villages,” Buckley added.
© 2018 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Stephen Wynne-Jones. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
