Plans for Lidl supermarket in Amersham rejected as council seeks housing alternative
Plans for Amersham’s first Lidl store at a former council office site in the town centre have been refused.
The discount supermarket giant announced proposals in August to build a new store on the site of King George V House, which closed in 2024 and was sold by Buckinghamshire Council.
The plans divided opinion in the town, with 165 objections and 212 expressions of support.
If it were approved, the store would create up to 40 new jobs and include features such as an in-store bakery and Lidl’s popular ‘Middle of Lidl’ section.
But Buckinghamshire Council refused planning permission, saying the scheme would represent an ‘inefficient use’ of the land and could instead accommodate a more intensive mixed-use development, such as a supermarket alongside housing.
In its decision, the authority criticised the proposal’s design, stating that the layout and siting of the retail unit and surface car park represents poor design.
The council said the low-rise building would be set too far back from the main street, with the car park dominating the frontage and weakening the overall street scene.
It also raised concerns about the impact on the town centre, saying there was insufficient information to demonstrate that there were no suitable alternative sites or that the development would not harm the vitality and viability of the town centre.
The council added that the scheme would fail to create an active street frontage, result in weak enclosure of the streetscape and include landscaping that does not reflect the character of the surrounding area.
The scale of the building was also described as being out of keeping with the higher-density urban setting nearby.
In addition, the authority said it would have sought further justification over the loss of trees and native hedgerow, which could lead to significant habitat loss.
Finally, Buckinghamshire Council said the application lacked sufficient detail on surface water drainage, adding that it had not been demonstrated the development would avoid increasing flood risk either on or off the site.
King George V House was sold by Buckinghamshire Council for £8 million to the Even Group. Although Even Group initially planned to redevelop the site into housing, including affordable units, it has since sold the land to Lidl.
A Lidl spokesperson confirmed to the LDRS that they purchased the site in 2025 and the previous plans to develop the site with homes have been scrapped, which caused uproar in the town.
In a separate prior notification application, the German retailer has secured permission to demolish the vacant office buildings, which have been described as being in disrepair and at the end of their economic life.