Budget supermarket chain Lidl has announced plans for a new store in the town.
The food retailer famed for its cut price produce - including a £7.99 bottle of sparkling wine that has been ranked among the best Champagnes in the world- has submitted a planning application for a supermarket on Parsonage Street in Macclesfield.
It’s on what’s known as the ‘Towers’ site in the Park Green area of town which contains an empty 1960s office block and area of vacant brownfield land.
There was a brewery on the land which was cleared many years ago, some of which was used as a car park for the offices.
The last workers left the offices around five years ago.
Lidl bosses say the store will bring with it 40 jobs for local people and help to regenerate Park Green, Sunderland Street and the lower end of Mill Street.
Keith Smith, chairman of Macclesfield Civic Society, said: “This is a key site at the southern entrance to the town and it’s important that it’s regenerated.
“I’m sure lots of people will be glad to see the old office block go and the rest of the site needs redeveloping. It’s been many years since the old brewery was there, long before the office block was built.
“I welcome seeing the full plans for the store and it would be good to see things happen pretty quickly. I’m sure it will attract a lot of custom and that will be a good thing for other businesses in the area.
“We need a building to make a statement, to say ‘this is Macclesfield, you’ve arrived’ so we should consider a modern design that can stand by itself.”
Lidl has had its sights on the site for some time. It submitted an application for a store in 2014 but it was withdrawn ‘for commercial reasons’. It consulted in May 2015 for a slightly larger store with associated retail units and now the latest application is for a food store only.
Stuart Jardine, Lidl UK’s regional head of property, said: “We’ve always wanted to bring a new store to Macclesfield. After an extensive period of consultation I’m happy that we now have an application in to bring a modern store and up to 40 jobs.
“I would like to thank those residents who have engaged with us and, should planning permission be granted, we look forward to welcoming them to their new store.”
The plan is for a 1288 sq metre store with bakery, tills with dual packing facilities, customer toilets and parking.
If plans are granted Lidl aims to start work by Spring 2018 with a view to opening in Spring 2019.
