Plans by the UK arm of the German retailer Lidl to develop a supermarket on the site of Newton Abbot publishers, David and Charles, have been overwhelmingly rejected, despite a last-minute attempt by the firm to win support. On Monday, members of Teignbridge Council's development control committee voted 24-1 against the scheme, which had attracted plenty of opposition, including that from the town council, the town centre manager, and the chamber of trade. A 253-signature petition and a letter of objection bearing a further 573 names had also been received. Lidl's development executive Oliver McGuinness wrote to councillors last week in a bid to combat the planning officer's recommendation that the application be refused. In his letter, he challenged such claims as loss of employment land and another that the Forde Close site was inappropriate for a supermarket. At Forde House on Monday, he added that the recommendation for refusal had been 'based on inaccurate assumptions' and criticised David and Charles for its 'mass publicity exercise' to rubbish the scheme which, he claimed, the publisher had originally promoted two years ago. Mr McGuinness won few friends, however, and Cllr Keith Smith said his letter had been 'mischievous' and that Lidl's plans 'cut across' Teignbridge policies. Chairman of the committee, Cllr Mike Haines, said the seven reasons for refusal were 'sound', while Cllr Ray Frost said he had been surprised Lidl had even pursued the application after such strong advice from officers. Cllr David Corney-Walker told his colleagues that he would welcome Lidl to the town, but not on the Brunel Estate. 'A Lidl store in town would be complementary, but this is totally the wrong site,' he said. The committee was also spoken to by David and Charles director Richard Dodman, who said that Lidl's plans would spell disaster for the publisher, which was unable to identify any other suitable premises. He also said that traffic movements at the site would increase eightfold to more than 350 and create a nightmare for residents. After the vote for refusal, Mr McGuinness said he was unsure whether Lidl would appeal against it.
