Aldi unveils plans for new £7million UK branch | UK | News
Aldi has announced plans to open a new £7 million store in the north of England. The German supermarket chain, which has more than 1,080 stores across the UK, announced that it has submitted a planning application to Wirral Council for the new branch within the Wirral Waters project taking shape in Seacombe, Merseyside.
The proposal site is a derelict site off Birkenhead Road, currently used as a lorry park. Aldi says the development will bring a modern food warehouse to the site, which will be a major investment in the local economy. Plans call for a 13,200 square meter shopping area with 84 parking spaces, as well as cycling circles to encourage customers to visit the store by bike. Plans estimate the store will create up to 40 full-time jobs, with Aldi planning to recruit staff from the local area.
Designed by London-based architects The Harris Partnership, the new store fits into a wider plan launched by landowners Peel Waters to transform the hundreds of acres surrounding the site into a mixed-use precinct. Liverpool Echo.
Aldi previously said a food store in the area would “enhance the local retail offering and provide access to discount retailers in the community for years to come.”
A public consultation was held by the retailer before the plans were submitted and a spokesman said it found 97% of the 500 people asked were in favor of building the store.
The spokesman said: “We are delighted to present our plans for a new Aldi food store in Wirral Waters. We would like to thank the local community for their participation in our consultation and the enthusiasm shown for our plans.
“This site is ideal for a new food store serving Seacombe residents and will support Wirral Waters’ wider regeneration ambitions.
“We look forward to our plans being determined by Wirral Council over the coming months and will keep the community updated as our application progresses.”
Richard Mawdsley, development director for Wirral Waters at Peel Waters, said: “Aldi’s plans represent another significant milestone in the ongoing transformation of Wirral Waters and Peel Waters is delighted to be working with them to take this investment forward.
“Delivering a successful, sustainable neighborhood is about more than new homes; it’s about creating places where people can live, work, study and access the services they need daily.
“Partnership is at the heart of this vision and Aldi’s commitment to Wirral Waters reflects leading operators’ confidence in the scale of opportunity here.
“As the community continues to grow with residents, students, established businesses and more, it is vital that basic amenities are provided alongside that growth.”
He added: “Regenerating land and attracting the right mix of uses is key to creating a thriving coastal destination.”
Wirral Council is expected to decide on the planning application in the coming months.
