A public consultation event will take place in Donaghadee this evening, Thursday June 18, giving residents the chance to raise concerns about a proposed Lidl store on the High Bangor Road. The meeting runs from 4.30pm to 7.30pm at Donaghadee Rugby Club.

Tanya Regan, a resident of over 20 years, has been urging people in the town to attend in order to make their views known to the developer. She has written to other residents arguing that the scheme would negatively affect nearby homes and the town centre.

According to Regan, the development would draw activity and spending away from the existing town centre, undermining its small-scale, local retail character. The site is currently part of a quiet residential area with open aspects and green space. Introducing a large retail unit there would represent a major change in land use, she said.

Concerns were also raised about the scale and appearance of the proposed building, which Regan described as overly dominant and visually intrusive. She said that lighting from the car park, illuminated signs, and increased evening activity could disturb nearby homes, especially in darker months.

Operational impacts were highlighted too. Regan pointed to early morning and late evening deliveries, plant machinery, and extended opening hours as sources of noise and disruption incompatible with the surrounding residential environment.

Other worries include building near or on potential flood plain areas, which could heighten surface water runoff and flood risk for the site and neighbouring properties. The loss of green space, along with the removal of trees, hedgerows, and natural habitats, was also noted.

The store and its car park would be situated close to existing dwellings, leading to increased overlooking, movement, and a loss of privacy and seclusion for residents. Regan added that the location relative to the town centre means the development would likely be heavily car-dependent, generating more traffic, noise, and general disturbance.