DETAILS on a developer's plans to build a Lidl store, as well as more than 40 new homes in Earley have been revealed in a new public consultation.

Lower Earley Properties held a virtual public consultation on Thursday, January 28, sharing details on the potential new build of the store and 42 new homes, set to be constructed on the grasslands beside Meldreth Way, Lower Earley.

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Aside from revealing new images of plans, the presentation included details on the 42 homes being a mixture of affordable rent and shared ownership housing with a mix of one-to-four bed house and apartment types.

The store is to be accessed via Meldreth Way, and the homes are to be accessed via Chatteris Way - this, as well as the implementation of natural landscape buffers, are to be placed in order to clearly separate the Lidl store from neighbouring homes, new and old alike.

Proposed CGI images of homes to be build beside the Lidl store. Pic by Lower Earley Properties

Proposed CGI images of homes to be build beside the Lidl store. Pic by Lower Earley Properties

The Lidl car park will feature two electric car parking charging stations, motorcycle and bicycle bays, as well as 128 parking spaces including nine parent and child spaces, and six disabled parking spaces.

New pedestrian and cyclepath links will also be included through the site, to allow access between the new homes and the store.

More than 200 people attended the consultation, asking questions as well as finding out more on the plans before they are formally submitted to the Wokingham Borough Council.

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Andy Jansons, Managing Director of parent company Jansons Property, said: “Whilst we would have preferred to present our plans in person, we’d like to thank everyone who attended our event on Thursday evening and made it a success.

"We received lots of feedback, which we will be reviewing over the coming weeks as we finalise our plans and submit a planning application to Wokingham Borough Council.

“For anyone who wasn’t able to watch, the presentation has now been uploaded to the project website.

"We will be providing more information in response to the feedback received in our Statement of Community Involvement report.”

Proposed masterplan of the build. Pic by Lower Earley Properties

Proposed masterplan of the build. Pic by Lower Earley Properties

Although planning permission has not yet been submitted, members of Earley Town Council have already shown their opposition to the plans, having started a petition against the developers working on the land on January 13.

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James Mitchell, Lidl GB’s Regional Head of Property, said: “We’d also like to thank all those who took part in the public consultation for this site and provided feedback on the plans.

"We are extremely excited about the prospect of opening a new Lidl store in Lower Earley, bringing around 40 new full and part time jobs to the community, and serving our fresh, quality, and incredibly good value produce which shoppers across the country have come to love.”

For more information, visit lowerearleyplans.co.uk/.