New Aldi store on land near college

Permission granted for shop, care home and housing

THERE will be a new Aldi in Newbury.

Council planners ticked the application for the new store on land near Newbury College.

Plans also include up to 75 homes and a care home with 70 beds – and were heralded as a much-needed income stream for Newbury College and Greenham Trust.

The care accommodation proposal also includes the construction of a 20-bed hospice – although there are no fine details about the nature or specialism of the unit.

Tesco tried to stop Aldi from moving on to its patch in Newbury – as did parish councils and local ward councillor David Marsh (Green, Wash Common), who said he had spoken to many in the area who did not want the development.

“I have utmost respect for Newbury College and the work it does and the Greenham Trust,” he said.

“It’s a good deal to safeguard the college and income for the trust.

“But it doesn’t mean having a new supermarket on the site is a good idea.

“We canvassed homes in the site, and overwhelmingly we found they were opposed to this as they don’t think we need another supermarket in the area.

“Also the residents are concerned about the impact on traffic as Monks Lane gets very busy, particularly in school time.

“Rather than meeting a perceived need it is more about generating income for the college.

“You only have to see the existing queues along Pinchington Lane.

“I cannot understand how anybody would think it would not make things worse.

“When Sandleford East is built there will be another 850 homes using that roundabout.”

His views aligned with Tesco which also suggested there would be an adverse impact on town centre trade.

The supermarket lodged a lengthy objection to plans to put up an 1,800 sq m store – to include 128 car parking spaces.

The new superstore, which is said will generate around 40 new jobs, is around 400m from Tesco, M&S and Lidl on Newbury Retail Park.

Both Newtown and Burghclere Parish Councils objected to the scheme – citing traffic increase concerns.

They said there will be an increase in traffic on the B4640 and the development will likely occur alongside Sandleford and “the traffic implications of both for the B4640 need to be considered holistically”.

But agents on behalf of Aldi and the developers say they asked around 4,000 people for their views, the majority of whom had no objection.