LIDL has been told to go back to the drawing board and come up with a better design for the expansion of its Haverfordwest food store.

The budget supermarket chain submitted an application asking for full planning permission to demolish the existing Lidl store on Perrots Road and the adjacent car garage (formerly J and G Bland) and replace it with one that is more than double in size (2,443 square metres).

There would be new access for vehicles off Thomas Parry Way, new pedestrian access off Perrots Road, plus a 129 space car park.

Pembrokeshire County Council’s planning committee met on Tuesday (February 23) to discuss the application which officers had recommended for refusal. Among the reasons given were the design of the new store would harm the setting of the Haverfordwest Conservation Area and as such conflicts with policies in the Local Development Plan.

Addressing the committee, Lidl’s planning agent Owain Griffiths said: “We are surprised and disappointed at the negative stance taken in the report and the limited weight given to the significant benefits that would result from this proposal.

“It represents a multi-million pound investment which would regenerate a very prominent and partially redundant site. It will directly provide 40 jobs, doubling the existing store’s employment roll, and well as construction jobs.”

Local resident Susan Thomas spoke on behalf of the objectors. She said the proposal was a “far cry from the application which led to the opening in 2001 of the neighbourhood store where, as opposed to local superstores, it was and still is possible to whizz around the shelves without a long delay.”

She also raised concerns about excavation into conservation area land.

Cllr Jacob Williams said he was minded to go against the recommendation and approve the application.

“The idea that the conservation area argument can be brought up against this is ludicrous,” he said.

“Of all the land in this county I think this is probably some of the most unremarkable land I can think of.”

Cllr Tony Brinsden said: “I just don’t see the problem. If it goes ahead it’s going to improve the footfall in the town centre, and that’s what we’ve been banging on about for ages.”

Commenting on the recently developed Churnworks road layout, he added: “I haven’t seen such a mess in any part of the country in all my years of driving.”

The Head of Planning, David Fitzsimon said: “We’re not for a minute suggesting that we don’t want Lidl to have a bigger store in Haverfordwest - far from it.”

Instead he advised members to refuse the plans before them and allow officers to get around the table with Lidl and come back with an improved design.

“As officers we do feel this falls short in design terms,” he said.

Cllr Williams’ motion to approve the application narrowly failed, while Cllr Brian Hall’s motion to refuse the application succeeded by eight votes to six.