SUPERMARKET chain Lidl found itself facing a ‘shocking’ bill of £80,000 to install an electric vehicle charging point at its new store near Wombwell - something it had promised to do as a condition of winning planning permission.
Lidl was required to install two of the high-powered chargers at the store on Mitchells Way to help encourage the use of cleaner electric vehicles and in turn improve air quality.
Complaints were made to the council by customers after the store opened in January without such equipment.
One charger - which can charge two cars at the same time - has since been installed, but the company found the electricity supply to the site is now at capacity, and to install the second one a new substation would be required at a cost of about £80,000.
The company applied to Barnsley Council to amend the conditions of its planning consent to require just one charger, and in return the company offered to pay £5,500 towards the cost of installing a second charger at the council’s car park next to Wombwell Library instead.
Councillors voted in favour of the move.
