“Just What Okehampton Needs” - Lidl submits plans for new store on Exeter Road

Lidl has submitted a planning application to relocate its Okehampton supermarket from School Way to a new site off Exeter Road.

The proposal follows a public consultation in which more than 80% of respondents supported the move. 

Many residents described the plans as “just what Okehampton needs” pointing to easier access, more parking and improved facilities.

The new store would be larger than the current branch, which has been in use for almost 25 years. 

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Plans include a bigger car park with electric vehicle charging points, solar panels on the roof, and new landscaping to support biodiversity. 

The application also outlines space for a fuller range of Lidl products and updated facilities for staff, including a larger welfare area.

According to the plans, the project would create around 17 additional full-time equivalent jobs. Existing staff at the School Way branch would also be able to transfer to the new store.

Some residents highlighted that the relocation could help ease parking and traffic pressures in the town centre, which are often linked to the current store’s smaller site. 

Others welcomed the potential for more local jobs and a better shopping experience.

Suzannah Clemo, Regional Head of Property at Lidl GB, said: “After serving the community in Okehampton for almost 25 years, we believe households here deserve more. More of Lidl’s best value produce, more job opportunities and more convenient access to their weekly shop. Thank you to everyone who came out and showed their support for our plans. With our proposals now submitted, we’d encourage residents to continue to register their support with West Devon Borough Council”.

If approved, the new store would represent a multi-million-pound investment in Okehampton. 

The existing School Way site would close once the Exeter Road branch is ready to open.

West Devon Borough Council will now review the application and invite further comments from the public before making a decision.