CHANGES are planned for Weymouth’s Dorchester Road Lidl store - once the budget chain overcomes an issue to do with conditions.

The business has asked Dorset Council to re-approve an extension to create a recycling room, a replacement entrance lobby and a new trolley bay. It is also asking to re-arrange the car park, to include the installation of an electric vehicle charge point and cycle parking.

The company say the changes had already been agreed by the council in a previous application last week but it had, mistakenly, set a condition for opening hours, different to those already in force since the store opened.

“By introducing two different conditions on two different consents, the council is creating unnecessary confusion on which condition is lawful. If the applicant were to seek a further revision of the store opening hours, it is unclear which condition ought to be varied,” said a letter from planning agents acting for the business.

Lidl is now asking Dorset Council to re-approve the recent planning consent without putting any conditions on opening times to enable the hours to remain as they have been.

The extension plan, part of a multi-million pound investment programme, was first reported in the Echo in January.

The company says its recycling facilities will comprise a Deposit Return System (DRS), whereby contactless, user-friendly machines will be installed in the store’s entrance lobby. Customers will be encouraged to return undamaged, empty glass or plastic bottles and aluminium cans originally bought in Lidl by offering them a reward of a 10p voucher per item (up to a maximum value of £2.50) to be spent in-store. Returned items are then sent for recycling into new products.

“The proposed non-sales extension will provide the for reconfiguration of the existing entrance lobby and the creation of a recycling room to accommodate the DRS machines and space to assist the in-store management of the returned bottles and cans,” said the company.

The planned electric vehicle charging points (EVCP) will be capable of fully charging two vehicles simultaneously in approximately 30 minutes.

As a result of the changes the number of parking spaces on the site will reduce from 91 to 82 but cycle stands will also be installed to provide secure parking for up to 12 machines, adjacent to the store entrance.