CONSTRUCTION of a new supermarket is under way after permission was granted by planning officers.

Burnley Council has given the green light for a Lidl store and108-space car park on Wyre Street, Padiham.

The store is scheduled to open early in 2022 and will create around 40 new jobs.

Lidl GB’s regional head of property, Nick Harvey, said: “There’s been much anticipation for this new Lidl store and it’s great that we are now able to break ground and start construction.

“We are extremely grateful for all the support that we have received so far and would like to thank everyone for their patience and understanding while we enter this next phase of the development.”

The store will have an in-store bakery, customer toilets and ample parking for both cars and bikes, and is part of a £1.3bn national investment from Lidl across the country over the next two years.

The response to the new store has not been entirely positive, though, with Labour’s Marcus Johnstone previously expressing concerns over the local road system not being able to cope with an increase in shopping traffic.

However, Gawthorpe ward’s councillor at the time, Andrew Tatchell, said in October 2020: “I think having a Lidl supermarket would be good. Any development locally to provide jobs has to be welcomed.”

Planning officials’ original report said: “The proposal would not cause harm to the setting of the Padiham Conservation Area.

“The proposal would be a suitable redevelopment of a site that borders Padiham Town Centre and provide benefits from increasing the range of shopping for local people.

“It is accepted that the site is suitable and would not lead to a significant impact on the viability or vitality of Padiham town centre.

“A total of 8,301 leaflets were distributed to surrounding addresses and there were 398 respondents, of which 98 per cent supported the proposal,” the report added.