Aldi

Planning Potential (PP) were successful in securing delegated planning permission for a new ALDI store in Stowmarket, allowing the company to reintroduce their offer to the town.

Due to site constraints which limited future expansion, ALDI chose to close their original Stowmarket store as it could no longer satisfy their latest requirements. A new store location was identified which took several years to become available. PP provided early advice on the new location and the prospects for securing a retail permission on the former industrial site. Pre-application discussions took place with Mid Suffolk District Council in June 2018, with officers expressing support for the proposals and the associated retail and sequential case. The application was fully scoped out, allowing for the successful preparation of a detailed application.

PP coordinated a comprehensive pre-application consultation exercise, with a leaflet drop to over 3,000 residents and businesses seeking feedback, whilst meetings were held with local stakeholders to explain the plans in more details. Overall, there was an overwhelming level of support for the plans, with 98% of respondents behind the scheme.

A planning application was submitted in December 2018, with PP coordinating the response to various statutory consultee comments. Detailed objections were received from an ALDI competitor on the retail impact and sequential grounds, for which PP provided further justification. Officers progressed with a delegated decision, and planning permission was granted in May 2019 with no S.106 Agreement attached.

Summary of achievements

• Securing a delegated foodstore permission
• Securing the support of officers
• Securing support for the proposals prior to submission
• Addressing detailed objections from a retail competitor
• Coordinating the consultant team
• Negotiating an acceptable list of planning conditions