A NEW petrol station and food outlet could be on the cards for a vacant site near Blackpill where Lidl had planned to build a supermarket.
The owner of the Mumbles Road site has submitted a pre-application enquiry to Swansea Council, which shows proposals for a Shell garage, electric vehicle charging points and a drive-through food unit.
If a full application is submitted and approved in due course, it would mark a return for a filling station at what was for many years the Halfway Garage before it closed in 2017.
It was demolished afterwards and the underground tanks removed.
Two years ago, German supermarket chain Lidl confirmed its interest in opening a supermarket there – a development which would require the demolition of a pair of semi-detached houses on the east side of the site.
Council planning officers said they felt the overall layout of the proposed development looked cramped, that many more parking spaces would be needed than had been indicated, and Lidl would have to justify that the out-of-town scheme addressed an unmet need.
Lidl said people in Swansea West and Gower weren’t well-served by discount food stores and went on to submit a full planning application, which led to 171 objections and 56 expressions of support.
Objectors, including Mumbles Road Road resident Andrew Morgan, voiced their concerns at a public meeting. Speaking after the meeting, he said: “Everybody felt it’s not the right location, and it’s significant over-development.”
Three months ago Lidl pulled the plug on the plans, saying it was due to delays in the planning process affecting an arrangement it had with the landowner.
The council said there had been no hold-ups at its end, and added that Lidl had not provided sufficient supporting documents despite being asked a number of times.
Those in favour of the supermarket plan said it would reduce car journeys to Swansea city centre.
One supporter said: “Think it would also be great to see a piece of derelict land turned into something useful for local residents.”
