CONCERNS about a supermarket redevelopment in a Georgian market town have been raised by a council hoping to ensure the design is sympathetic to the town's character.

Members of Richmond Town Council were invited to an informal meeting with the planning department at Richmondshire District Council and representatives from Lidl on January 26, and have submitted its main concerns for Lidl to consider.

Cllr Jonathan Preece said the meeting had been very constructive and that Lidl had come forward with pre-plans to get a better understanding of what the town expected.

Cllr Preece said: “We have four main areas of concern – signage, the parking area, and the north and eastern aspects.

“With signage, the sign currently proposed is too large, especially if it is to be illuminated. As this is a standalone retail premise, customers already know what shop it is so gross scale identification is redundant.

“Pole signage at the roundabout entrance is totally unacceptable, and any entrance signage should be confined to the previous Co-op sign areas.”

Councillors had major concerns about the parking area, as they feared the advanced proposals from Lidl would be out of keeping with the Georgian character of the town.

Cllr Preece added: “The idea of steel and plastic trolley pods instead of the existing discreet wood and slate constructions is totally out of character and unacceptable.

“The plan to remove the central wall in the car park will open the whole area up to seem like a concrete scar when viewed from Quaker Lane towards the town centre, and although a reduction in the number of parking bays is acceptable, the idea of Tarmac replacing block paving needs to be readdressed.”

Chief planning officer at Richmondshire District Council, Peter Featherstone, said: “Lidl is still in the pre-application stage and this was not a public meeting, however Lidl has been happy to share its early plans with some of the local community’s main stakeholders."

A spokeswoman for Lidl said: "It is our primary objective to build a store that benefits the local community.

"We would like to thank everyone for their support so far and look forward to working closely with the council as we continue to develop our plans for the store."