DISCOUNT supermarket chain Lidl has submitted new plans for a store in Malvern Link.

Lidl says it considered local opinion when drawing up the plans, but some residents and businesses are still unhappy.

They say a store at the former eurohaus garage will exacerbate traffic problems on Worcester Road.

Tom Falcon, who lives opposite the site in Chillerton Court, said the planned right-hand turn lane and pedestrian island would create access problems to his home.

"I don't know of any other supermarket that opens directly onto a main road like this," he said.

The plans sent to Malvern Hills District Council this week show a brick-built store set into the back of the site, with four homes facing on to Worcester Road at the front.

The plans include 74 parking spaces, but the existing parking area on the road in front of the site would be scrapped and local businesses are unhappy with this.

Graham Perkins, of York Antiques, said he would fight the application "tooth and nail."

He said loss of parking spaces, combined with traffic lights planned for Lower Howsell Road, would make it impossible for his business as he would be unable to unload and customers unable to park.

"I'll be forced to move the business if this goes ahead and I've been here 30 years," he said.

Mark Perkins, of Hubbard and Perkins chiropodists, said elderly customers would find it difficult to walk to the practice from Lidl's car park and feared that loss of parking would put small firms in the area out of business.

Martin Bowcott of Auto Parts (Malvern) approved of Lidl's plans.

"The appearance of Lidl should produce a lot more people in Malvern Link and as far as I'm concerned the more people, the more customers," he said.

Lidl property manager James Mitchell said the store design had changed after input from public exhibitions in April and August.

"We're happy with the changes and generally pleased with the reaction people have given," he said.

Lidl has backed its application with a transport assessment, introduced measures like an acoustic fence and acoustic shroud around an external chiller condenser to contain noise and had changed the design to blend in with the conservation area.