Three Counties Hotel: all the places in Hereford Lidl looked at

Those plans have been submitted to Herefordshire Council as the budget supermarket chain seeks planning permission.

If given the go-ahead, the hotel would be demolished and replaced with a Lidl, with a right-turn lane added to Belmont Road to deal with around 2,500 two-way car trips every day.

There would be changes to Belmont Road, if plans get the go-ahead. Picture: Rob Davies

But before settling on a vision for the Three Counties Hotel in Belmont Road, Lidl said it considered a number of other city sites.

They included the old Debenhams unit at the Old Market Shopping Centre as well as a Herefordshire Council car park in Union Walk, but all were dismissed.

RELATED NEWS:

• Lidl submits plans to demolish Hereford's Three Counties Hotel
• Belmont Road changes mooted as more than 2,500 cars a day could head to new Lidl
• What we know so far as Lidl plans to demolish Hereford's Three Counties Hotel

Outline planning permission has also been applied for as it also looks at a drive-thru coffee shop at the site of the proposed supermarket, but for the purposes of its research into other sites, Lidl excluded this in its search.

CarneySweeney, the consultants working on the scheme, looked at the "key issue" of whether a supermarket could be "accommodated on an alternative, available site in a suitable way and a reasonable timeframe".

The site needed to have enough space for a 2,100 square-metre shop, allow for the safe manoeuvring of cars and lorries, be prominent to attract passing trade, easily accessible, have a surface level car park, space for a service area to the rear of the shop and have a single-storey, open and unrestricted sales floor.

Old Market Shopping Centre

That search led them to the Old Market, but the Debenhams unit was seen as "arguably too large".

The old Debenhams shop in Old Market Shopping Centre was considered by Lidl. Picture: Rob Davies (Image: Hereford Times)

Consultants said: "The surface car parking which exists is located adjacent to the Waitrose store on this development, complete with Waitrose trolley shelters and a mechanism by which parking charges a waived for customers spending £20 or more in store.

"This presents a commercial difficulty in respect of trolley storage and collection as well as providing free car parking for Lidl customers."

OTHER NEWS:

• Buildings in heart of Hereford set for new lease of life
• Bright new look for Herefordshire pub... and pizzas too!
• Lucky-to-be alive Herefordshire dad tells of the day they saved his life

They added: "Indeed, the arrangement for free parking for Waitrose customers is likely to form part of the Agreement for Lease between the landlord and Waitrose, with those arrangements likely to prohibit occupation of the scheme by a rival food retailer.

"Marketing details suggest the unit is under offer in any event. Accordingly, the Debenhams unit is considered to be unsuitable for the development proposed and may not be available."

Consultants said the old Debenhams could have actually been too big

Units seven and eight, it said, were too small, as was unit 15.

It also looked at "Old Market Gateway", in Blackfriars Street. Consultants said Premier Inn had been built there so the site was "not considered available and has been discounted".

Other city centre sites

Union Walk car park, a Herefordshire Council-owned car park on the corner of Kyrle Street ad Union Walk, was also thought about.

But although of sufficient size, the loss of parking would "likely have negative implications for the long-term vitality and viability of the city centre"

They said the car park was in use and not being actively marketed.

Lidl also mulled over the old Peacocks shop in Eign Street. Picture: Google

The former Peacocks in Eign Street lacked car parking, and was also being developed, and "all other vacant units within the Hereford city centre have been received and these are all typically small format".

Plans to demolish hotel

In an application form submitted to Herefordshire Council, Lidl said the planned new supermarket would employ 40 people on a full-time basis.

The planned supermarket would be open from 8am to 10pm Monday to Saturday and from 10am to 4pm on Sundays and Bank Holidays.

A drawing of what the new Lidl in Belmont Road would look like, if given the go-ahead. Picture: HRC Architects/Herefordshire Council

A design and access statement prepared by HTC Architects said the proposed development is one storey high with the main frontage facing the road with a canopy and a mono-pitched roof that reduces towards the eastern boundary.

OTHER NEWS:

• Herefordshire carnival cancelled after urgent appeal ignored
• Herefordshire woman ordered to pay hundreds after dropping cigarette butt
• Herefordshire school head says 'time to move on' from Covid

"The proposed elevations provide a fresh modern looking store. A pallet of materials has been selected to promote a modern retail experience," the architects said. 

"These include grey cladding and white cladding with
some areas of render.

"Modern full height glazing is included to the elevation fronting the car park, whilst glazing also is on the side elevation facing Belmont Road."

The plans show the main entrance for the proposed supermarket will be on Hereford's Belmont Road, with the supermarket's car park offering 118 spaces including two electric vehicle charging spaces.

The Three Counties Hotel has still not responded to the Hereford Times.

• What is your view on these sites being dismissed by Lidl? Have your views heard HERE