Councillors defend divisive Lidl supermarket refusal in Amersham
Councillors in Amersham have said a decision to refuse a planning application for a Lidl supermarket shows the site “can and should deliver more.”
Plans for the town’s first Lidl at the former council office site of King George V House were refused by Buckinghamshire Council, which said the scheme would represent an “inefficient use” of the land.
The proposal for the discount supermarket chain had divided opinion in the town, with some welcoming the news of the refusal while others were upset, they would not be getting the German retailer.
Cllr Kelly Thornton, Liberal Democrat councillor for Amersham and Chesham Bois, said: “The refusal of this application reflects many of the concerns residents raised from the start.
“The planning decision recognises that the proposed scheme was not a productive use of such a highly sustainable site and that it risked harming the vitality of Amersham town centre.
“People had been led to believe there would be housing here, not a retail development with limited community benefit.”
Fellow Liberal Democrat ward member Dominic Pinkney said a large number of residents were still “angry” that Lidl had been able to purchase King George V House.
The former Buckinghamshire Council office site was sold by the authority for £8 million to the Even Group.
Although the Even Group initially planned to redevelop the site for housing, it later sold the land to Lidl in 2025.
Previous plans to develop the site for housing were subsequently scrapped and replaced with proposals for the supermarket, which have now been refused.
Cllr Pinkney added: “The refusal of the application demonstrates that the site can and should deliver more.
“We now hope a new scheme will come forward that makes better use of the site, including much‑needed housing and, in particular, genuinely affordable homes that meet local needs.”
Lidl said the new store would have covered 2,299 square metres and feature silver aluminium composite cladding with red brickwork, 125 parking spaces, and 538 solar panels on the roof.
It added: “This proposal will be constructed to a high quality with sensitivity to the local environment, employing contemporary and sustainable design and materials to create an attractive, high quality building which is appropriate to its surrounding built environment.”
It comes after Marks & Spencer revealed plans last month for a new M&S Foodhall in Amersham. Located on White Lion Road, the store would offer the full M&S food range.