Supermarket giant Lidl wants to develop a school tour project in Newbridge, Co Kildare

Supermarket giant Lidl wants to develop a school tour site in Newbridge.

The company is seeking to provide a school tour facility at its giant distribution centre at Little Connell on the Naas side of the town.

The centre is Lidl Ireland’s single largest investment since its arrival in Ireland in 2000 and is about the size of seven football pitches.

The warehouse is one of the biggest in Ireland with over 80 unloading bays and includes 352 parking spaces to cater for staff vehicles. It opened at the end of 2019.

Now the company has applied for permission (for a temporary period of up to 10 years) for a school tour facility.

This will consist of the laying out of an undeveloped area adjoining the warehouse site as a school and visitor farm with demonstration, grazing and paddocks areas relating to fruit and vegetable and growing and animal rearing. The application also seeks to build polytunnels and a small reception building.

Kildare County Council is to decide on this by the end of June.