An Ashby councillor has called for the planned new Lidl supermarket to be sited at a different location - and not add to an already congested Revolution Road and Dents Road area.

Cllr Murrae Blair-Park is challenging the application to build the new store on the Ashfield House site.

He has voiced concerns about increased congestion in an already 'gridlocked' area of the town.

Cllr Blair-Park, the Labour and Co-operative councillor for Money Hill ward in Ashby, is urging North West Leicestershire District Council to reconsider the application to demolish the existing building on Revolution Road to build the store.

He has written to the District Council and said: "I am challenging the application to build a new Lidl store in an area of Ashby which is already gridlocked and congested to the point of bringing the town to a standstill at busy periods.

"I believe there are other locations in and around the town that would be more appropriate for a supermarket.

"Over the past few years, the town has been a hive of development, and we are at a stage where the town deserves a more conscientious approach from prospective developers.

Labour councillor Murrae Blair-Park says Lidl should find another site. Image: Supplied

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"Money Hill is likely to see almost 2,000 homes built over the next few years, and within this development we expect a school and supermarket.

"This will add more traffic to a main road that regularly snarls up due to the sheer volume of traffic and yet there has been minimal investment from the County Council in terms of Ashby's road network.

"Without significant investment in the junction of A42/A511 as well as Nottingham Road and Dents Road it will be even more overburdened.

"We already have excessive traffic around Dents Road particularly with HGVs struggling to turn left at the junction, and with increased warehousing planned for this area the situation will only be worsened.

"The consultation from Lidl has been very poor and as ward councillor nobody has contacted me to understand the community and infrastructure concerns.

"There has been no recognition of the major congestion issue we have at that junction.

"Ashby deserves far more consideration from developers both domestically and commercially, so stop telling us what they want and ask us what we need."

Lidl responded to the District Council month by defending its plan to demolish Ashfield House, saying there is no demand for office space in Ashby.

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