COUNCILLORS have said that “Lidl are taking the piddle” after failing to reinstate a hedge at its Wellington store.

Members of Wellington Town Council’s environment committee heard on Wednesday (September 16) that open spaces manager Darren Hill had still yet to receive a response from Lidl about the issue despite making a number of requests.

The same committee was highly critical of Lidl back in March where they spoke of their disappointment at the company’s failure to adhere to conditions imposed when planning permission was granted in April 2022 to build the store beside the Cades roundabout.

Around 100feet of mature hedgerow was removed when the Lidl store and car park was being built and the company was told that the planting had to be replaced along Taunton Road and Nynehead Road.

But four years on and the hedgerow that was taken out has still yet to be replaced and local councillors believe Somerset Council – the planning authority – needs to take enforcement action.

Councillors unanimously voted in favour on March 18 of writing to Somerset Council’s planning enforcement department about the situation.

But four months later on July 8 and the council’s environment committee were told that they were still awaiting a reply from Somerset Council.

And now a further two months on and the town council has still yet to receive any news from the planning authority about its growing frustration about the Lidl hedge.

Cllr John Thorne, speaking on September 16, said: “What more can we do? It’s disgraceful that nothing’s been done – Lidl are taking the proverbial.”

At that point another member of the council was heard to say “Lidl are taking the piddle” in the supermarket’s failure to replace the hedge.

Cllr Thorne continued: “It’s gone on for years now – what can be done? But we can’t just let this lie.

“We’ve got to get pushy about this – even if it means planting our own hedge.”

The Mayor, Cllr Mark Lithgow, said that silence from Somerset Council was becoming a county-wide issue.

“There is a real lack of communication at Somerset Council between them and other town and parish councils,” he said.

Back in July open spaces manager, Darren Hill, said: “We have contacted planning enforcement in relation to requiring Lidl to reinstate the hedge, but at the time of writing have not received a response.”

And Cllr Janet Lloyd suggested the council write again and go to the top of the Somerset Council chain of command by contacting its chief executive Duncan Sharkey about the issue.

“Other than that – perhaps we should do the work ourselves and put new hedges in and send Somerset Council the bill,” she said.

But two months on and Mr Hill repeated, in a report, word for word what he had previously said: “We have contacted planning enforcement in relation to requiring Lidl to reinstate the hedge, but at the time of writing have not received a response.”

Town council patience is clearly wearing thin on the matter.