Plans for a new Lidl supermarket, restaurant and electric vehicle charging hub which would regenerate a prominent eyesore site at Aberdeen’s northern entrance have been recommended for approval.
West Coast Estates and Lidl Great Britain are seeking permission to redevelop the former Baker Hughes site on Woodside Road in Bridge of Don, close to the A92 junction with Ellon Road and The Parkway.
The 1.85-hectare brownfield site is currently vacant after its former industrial buildings were demolished and the land cleared between 2023 and 2025.
The proposals include a 1,990 sq m Lidl supermarket with 125 parking spaces, alongside a 16-bay fast-charging hub and a 261 sq m café or restaurant.
The new supermarket would replace Lidl’s existing King Street store, with planners acknowledging that the Bridge of Don area has limited retail options and an identified demand for mid-sized supermarkets, particularly discount retailers.
Planning documents say the development is expected to support between 80 and 90 jobs, equivalent to 55 to 70 full-time positions. Lidl will encourage staff in the existing King Street foodstore to apply for positions in the new store should planning permission be granted for the proposed development.
The application has attracted significant public support, with 59 of the 60 valid representations submitted backing the development.
Supporters cited the regeneration of a brownfield site, inward investment, new and safeguarded jobs, greater access to affordable shopping and the benefits of new EV charging infrastructure.
Bridge of Don Community Council has objected over concerns about traffic movements and the potential impact on the surrounding road network, although it said it did not object to the development itself.
However, Aberdeen City Council’s roads team concluded that the development would not have an unacceptable impact on the local road network, with no off-site traffic mitigation considered necessary.
The developer has also agreed to provide a new signal-controlled pedestrian crossing over the A92 and upgrades to nearby bus stops on Woodside Road.
Although the site is designated for business and industrial use, planners concluded there were sufficient grounds to support its redevelopment, including the site’s prolonged vacancy, unsuccessful marketing for industrial uses and Aberdeen’s wider supply of employment land.
The application will go before Aberdeen City Council’s Planning Development Management Committee on August 20 with a recommendation to approve subject to conditions.