I CANNOT understand for the life of me why Lidl were refused planning permission on the old police station site in Shirley.

This store would have been a credit to Shirley, we shop there regularly and it is obvious that the present store is not able to cope with the amount of trade.

Lidl bent over backwards to save a half-alive tree on the front of the site. The houses at the rear of the site were to get a line of trees to help hide the store from their view.

As for traffic, all it was going to do was to move up the road; getting into the old site was a nightmare with nobody taking any notice of the yellow lines on the way in thus causing mayhem trying to get by.

I just hope Lidl appeals, as I am absolutely disgusted by our councillors who voted against this credit to Shirley.

I hope they don’t come round here asking for my vote in the next election. I will find out how they voted and will not vote for them again. Come on, Lidl, we need you.

Dave Clothier

Southampton