LEGAL protection has been granted to two trees standing in the way of an attempt by supermarket firm Lidl to build a store in Malvern Link.

Malvern Hills District Council has made permanent a tree preservation order granted in July protecting two lime trees standing outside the building that used to house the eurohaus garage on Worcester Road.

The German discount supermarket firm had a planning application for a store at the site, which it bought in 2000, turned down in June 2001. It has lodged another application for change of use with Malvern Hills District Council.

The trees block access routes for cars outlined in the firm's plans for the site, and its property manager Steve Sprackling accused the council of introducing the order solely to thwart its application.

He added that Worcestershire Highways Partnership had declared the trees as a danger to the public and wanted to see them chopped down whether the development took place or not.

But Mike Gregory, of Malvern Hills District Council, produced a letter from the partnership at Tuesday's meeting acknowledging the tree preservation order and saying it had no problem with it.

Councillors voted unanimously in favour of confirming the order, which will be taken into account when Lidl's application comes before planners in November or December.