Lidl apologises to three ‘interfering’ Cork councillors

RETAIL giant Lidl has apologised to three politicians it accused of interfering in the planning process for political reasons.

However, the three Cork city councillors have only given the move a qualified welcome.

The company sparked a bitter row two weeks ago when it emerged that it had accused cllrs Jonathan O’Brien (SF), Damien Wallace and Tony Fitzgerald (FF), of being “politically motivated” in their objections to a liquor licence for a store it is planing to build on the city’s northside.

The comments were contained in a company appeal to An Bórd Pleanála.

Councillors reacted furiously and called on the company to substantiate the remarks or withdraw them.

They were presented with a letter from the company on Monday night, signed by Lidl Ireland’s managing director, Patrick Kaudewitz, and property director, Kevin Proctor, in which they said the board of Lidl apologised to the entire council, and specifically to the three named councillors.

“The submission to An Bord Pleanála was not meant to single out any one particular person in a negative way,” it read.

“It was the intention of the property team to fully elaborate on all aspects of the planning history in relation to this site. Unfortunately, this was done in an inappropriate fashion.”

They said the submission was prepared by a local property team in conjunction with consultants and had not been submitted to Mr Proctor for approval.

However, while welcoming the apology, Mr Fitzgerald said he would have preferred if Lidl had also written to each of the three councillors.

Councillors voted 26 to two in December to rezone land in Churchfield, clearing the way for Lidl to build a store.

But they attached two conditions as part of the planning — one that prevents the granting of a liquor licence, and one directing a change to the location of the entrance road.

Lidl appealed both, along with 16 other conditions. The appeal singled out Cllrs O’Brien, Wallace and Fitzgerald for criticism.

Mr Wallace described the comments in Lidl’s submission as “personal attacks” on individual councillors. He gave the apology a qualified welcome.

“Lidl requested us to get in involved by requesting a material contravention to the city development plan,” he said.

“We made our comments and then they then castigated us to An Bórd Pleanála.”