MAJOR plans have been revealed for a Lidl supermarket, nursery and medical centre in Ledbury.

The development, named Leadon Vale, is proposed for land next to the Old Wharf Industrial Estate, at the junction of Leadon Way and Dymock Road.

Developer Deeley Group has made the proposals available for public consultation, ahead of a planning application being submitted to Herefordshire Council.

Eleanor Deeley, deputy managing director of the Deeley Group, said: “Leadon Vale is in a fantastic location to provide support to local people and is within walking and cycling distance of those who live on the south side of the town. The Deeley Group always make a priority of engaging with communities, to ensure we create a sustainable footprint on the local area.”

The energy-efficient buildings are designed to respond to the surrounding area with fitting design, including a green roof on the 23,412 sq ft Lidl store, says the Deeley Group.

There will be just under 200 car parking spaces on site.

Woodlands Nursery would run the day nursery, which would be named Cedar House, and Leadon Vale would be the company's third nursery, with others in Hereford and Ross-on-Wye.

The nursery will offer at least 23 full and part-time jobs to qualified and apprenticeship staff, while also providing in-house training opportunities for local people who are interested in a career in early years education.

Oliver Marshall, director of Woodlands Nursery, said: “We are delighted to be able to take forward these plans for a new purpose-built nursery school at Leadon Vale.

“We have been searching for a site near Ledbury for a number of years, having been told by local people and businesses that they desperately need an early years facility like this in the town.

“Leadon Vale is a really well thought out proposal, and as a local business we are delighted to be involved. We believe it will be a credit to the area.”

A face-to-face public consultation was planned to take place this month, but the coronavirus pandemic cause this to be cancelled.

Ledbury Town Council will give its view on the scheme and offer a recommendation for either approval or rejection of the application to Herefordshire Council's planning committee, which will make the final decision.

Chair of the economical development and planning committee at Ledbury Town Council, Cllr Dan Vesma, who is also the town’s deputy mayor, said: “Whilst we’re not yet in a position to comment on the scheme, with no formal application having been made, this development is very much on our radar.

“All proposals of this scope would likely prove to be controversial and complex, with both opportunities and challenges for the town.

“I’m looking forward to hearing the opinions of as many of Ledbury’s citizens as possible once the application is received. We are still in the early days of virtual council meetings, and we will take steps to make sure that we can hear the voices of those we represent.”

Ledbury currently does not have a Lidl supermarket. The nearest are in Malvern and Hereford.

Anyone wanting to provide feedback on the plans can visit deeley.co.uk/properties/our-developments/leadon-vale/