The supermarket chain, Lidl, has recently received planning permission for a new store on Futura Park (which is also the home of John Lewis and Waitrose). Planning applications of this nature usually require some financial information, although this is not normally made public. I have interpreted the snippets of financial information which was included in the Officers Report for the Development Control Committee meeting in August.

These figures are an estimation and should be regarded simply as an indicator of relative size, rather than absolute. The proposal is for a new store on the north east side of Nacton Road, opposite the Ravenswood District Centre.

Turnover of the existing Ravenswood Lidl is in the order of £11 million, 90% of which is convenience goods (food and household necessities).  Lidl predict that the new store will enjoy an increased turnover of £15.5 million. The increase in trade will be felt across the town but unsurprisingly Sainsbury's, Warren Heath may take a 2% drop in customer spend (Waitrose, serving a different socio-economic group are less affected).

My calculations would indicate that current turnover figures are in the order of:-

Sainsbury's:  £74 million

Aldi, Hines Road: £30 million

Waitrose: £22 million

Other facts and figures from the planning application include:

Vehicle movements (into the new store) –

   85 two-way vehicle movements between 8 am and 9 am on weekdays;

   272 two-way vehicle movements between 11 am and 12 noon on a Saturday.

The applicant also proposes an under-provision in respect of car parking against the planning requirement, plus an under-provision of electric vehicle charging points and PTW spaces (powered two wheelers). I am pleased to see that staff bicycle parking is safely located within the store.

Ipswich Borough Council accepted the advice of their officers and granted planning permission.

John Norman

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