Planning committee rejects plans for new M&S Foodhall, Lidl supermarket and business park at a Liverpool city region site. Andrew Brown reports
Multi-million pound proposals to build a new M&S Foodhall, Lidl supermarket and business park next to Formby Bypass have been refused.
Councillors on Sefton Council’s Planning Committee rejected the The Point development this week as they looked into the proposals at Bootle Town Hall.
They said they were concerned about an insufficient demonstration that the site could be served by sustainable forms of travel, particularly by bus.
They were also not convinced by the extent of retail development in the proposal and the impact this would have on Formby District Centre. Sefton Council’s Planning officers had recommended councillors grant the plans.
Sefton and Formby Developments believes it 31.35-acre The Point scheme would create “substantial employment opportunities” for the area. It is not yet known whether it will take the decision to appeal and ask the Government’s Planning Inspectorate to decide.
The new scheme would also include a new medical centre, a Costa Coffee drive-thru, another drive-thru, and a new junction off Formby Bypass.
It would also offer small-scale business starter units; co-working spaces; light industrial facilities; and new research and development hubs.
The 2,185 sq m Lidl store would be served by a 123-space car park while the 2,006 sq m M&S Foodhall would offer 178 customer car parking spaces and an additional 11 car parking spaces for staff.
The first phase also incorporates a 1,033 sq m community medical facility, addressing local health needs.
Earlier this month, Tesco and Aldi wrote to Sefton Council with their objections to the scheme. Earlier this year, Aldi submitted a full planning application to Sefton Council to build a new 1,881 sq m supermarket at the Sandbrook Way local centre in Ainsdale, creating 40 new jobs.
Avison Young, on behalf of Aldi, revealed the retailer is concerned about the impact that new stores in both Woodvale and Formby would have on Formby town centre and Ainsdale Village centre.
They wrote: “While the Land North of Formby Industrial Estate and Sandbrook Drive planning applications do not serve the exact same catchment areas, both applications would divert trade from some of the same centres. Both proposals would divert trade from Formby district centre and from Ainsdale local centre.
“In this context, we have reviewed the Officer’s report for September 16, 2026, planning committee and note that it does not address the matter of cumulative impact and, specifically, whether both the land north of Formby Industrial Estate and Sandbrook Drive proposals could both be implemented without any unacceptable town centre impacts arising.”
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Sefton’s Planning officers advised councillors to approve the plans, saying “the principle of development is accepted”, and that “there will be no severe adverse impacts on Formby District Centre”.
In their report, Sefton’s Planning officers said: “The proposal will not have a significant adverse impact on the vitality and viability of Formby District Centre or other nearby identified centres, it will not increase the risk of flooding to or from the site, whilst ecological impacts can be appropriately mitigated.
“It is accepted that there are differing views relating to the sustainability of the site, however, this is an allocated site that has been subject to various assessments and found sound by a planning onspector for development.”