Lidl to demolish Ferndown store and replace it with new building

Lidl’s Ferndown store, along the A347 Ringwood Road near Sainsbury’s, is set to be demolished and replaced with a larger building. 

Dorset Council has given permission to the German retailer to replace the old building built in 2003, which Lidl described as looking “dated” and “cannot provide the quality of shopping environment that customers now expect”. 

Lidl say one of the new building’s qualities is that it is environmentally friendly thanks to features which reduce energy and water consumption, solar panels and two electric car charging points. 

Lidl in Ringwood Road (Image: Google Maps)

The new 1,216 square metre sales area (279 square metres bigger than before) will include an in-store bakery, longer style tills and customer parking and, on the outside, 113 parking spaces. 

Lidl also say the new building is not being constructed to increase market share but is primarily intended to "provide qualitative improvements to the store’s offer, such as more generous circulation space”. 

Twenty-five staff are currently employed at the Ferndown store and it is anticipated a further two or three roles will be created in the new store. 

Example Lidl store (Image: Lidl)

Entrance to the store, which has previously been at the side of the building facing away from the road, will now be from the side of the store facing Ringwood Road. 

A report from a Dorset Council planning officer said: “The replacement store would be built in accordance with Lidl’s brand-new specification providing a lighter, more specious sales area, with the creation of an active full height glazed frontage and with no suspended ceiling.  

“A first floor has also been added to maximise trading space and to improve customer and staff environments.  

“The proposed replacement store would retain a standardised design for discount retailers.” 

We have contacted Lidl for more information about when demolition will begin and if the store will be shut during this period. 

Lidl has been busy with a range of new developments across Dorset in recent years, with a Verwood store built in December 2021, the construction which is under way in West Parley for a new store and proposals for a new store in Westover Retail Park which would demolish all existing businesses.