Aldi go back to the drawing board over store plans
CONTROVERSIAL plans to open a new Aldi supermarket in Great Barr have been withdrawn after city council officers ruled the project should be thrown out.
Members of Birmingham City Council’s planning committee were due to debate the application to build the new store in Old Horns Crescent at its latest meeting.
But at the 11th hour Aldi decided to withdraw its plan and go back to the drawing board to address the concerns raised by officers.
A report prepared ahead of the planning meeting recommended that councillors rejected the development on the grounds of poor design, potential to cause traffic problems and the fact that it would eat up valuable green space.
The development site is just a short drive away from the notorious Scott Arms intersection which is very heavily used due to its proximity to junction seven of the M6.
It has seen major tailbacks in recent weeks due to the restrictions on the Aston Expressway and its weekend closure although that has ended earlier than planned.
Aldi confirmed it had no plans to abandon the project altogether and would now work with the council on an alternative design before resubmitting its planning application in the coming weeks.
A statement from the German chain said: “Following the recommendation to the planning committee, we have decided that the best way forward would be to withdraw our application and resubmit in the coming weeks.
“We continue to look forward to opening a new store in Great Barr and believe we can work through the concerns raised by council officers on the initial application.
“The majority of respondents to our consultation supported the initial plans, specifically highlighting that a new store would improve local shopping choice and reduce travel times for those who currently leave the area to complete their food shop.”
The company said the response to its consultation in January was positive, with around 65 per cent of respondents supporting the plans.