New Lidl will 'take away sense of community' fear residents
Plans to build a Lidl on the former Meco site have also sparked fears that traffic problems in St John's will get even worse.
The budget supermarket has submitted an application to knock down part of the Bromyard Road site, which has been empty since Komatsu left in 2023.
If given the go-ahead by Worcester City Council, Lidl would build on the east of the site, backing onto homes in Happy Land West.
COMMUNITY: Happy Land West in St John's (Image: Google Maps)
Access would be off Bromyard Road, opposite Watery Lane.
Neighbour Karthikeyan Selvaraj said: 'Demolishing the building would take away our privacy and sense of community.
'Already we have traffic congestion during the peak hours in Bromyard Road. Especially in Happy Land West and North, we face parking challenges due to the retail sites in Bromyard Road - [people] parking in our spaces which causes real frustration to residents.
'By bringing this, we could face even more traffic in our streets. Quite a few of our cars are having scratches, dents and bumps due to inconsiderate people driving faster and large vehicles passing through without paying attention to the parked vehicles.'
James Wall, who also lives nearby, said: 'The introduction of a Lidl supermarket in such close proximity to our home would significantly alter the character of our neighbourhood and disrupt the quality of life for residents.
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'Moreover, the traffic conditions in the surrounding area are already problematic.
'The roads leading to the proposed supermarket site are often congested, and adding a supermarket to this mix would exacerbate the existing traffic issues.
'Increased vehicle movement, particularly during peak hours, would not only create further delays but also pose safety risks for pedestrians and cyclists in the area.'
Tirath Singh said: 'I strongly object to this application. I have a convenience shop in the area and feel this it would affect my business severely if another big supermarket appears.
'Please don't forget we have Sainsbury's in St John's and so many little shops in the area as well. Not so long ago there was the Co-op which closed down, which was near to the traffic lights in St Johns.
'I would be grateful if this project does not go ahead and the site is used for something else.'
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