Aldi finally submitted a planning application on 4th March for a store on the Lower Road industrial estate, on vacant land between Galebreaker and LDA Meats.

Update: Herefordshire Council confirmed this week (beginning 14th March) that Aldi's application has not been validated "due to an administrative error on the agent’s part... The application is invalid at the moment. The agent has been informed and (the council) expect(s) them to re-submit the application in due course."  This means there will be a further delay until week beginning 21st March at the earliest for the council to register the planning application officially and put it online.

An Aldi spokesperson said on 15th March the problem would be resolved that day.  It was a technicality relating to fees being paid to Herefordshire Council: the application would be re-submitted immediately.

It normally takes about a week for Herefordshire Council to put planning applications it receives on its website, through which any person or organisation may make comments for or against the application.  This article will be updated when the link is available.

The company first announced its proposal to site a store in Ledbury in October 2015.  Sainsbury's submitted a planning application for a store some three times larger on the same site in 2011 (but this also included the Galebreaker site).  The Sainsbury's application was refused in February 2012.

Aldi and its agents have clearly spent some considerable time meanwhile doing their homework to address objections raised against the earlier Sainsbury's proposal, most of which could be made again now.  Strange that this agent, who presumably is well-versed in making planning applications for its clients, should have made this "administrative error".

Aldi's official press release follows:

Press release - 4 March 2016

Proposals new food store submitted for New Mills Industrial Estate

Aldi, the award-winning premium discount food retailer, has this week submitted a planning application to Herefordshire Council for the construction of a new food store at the New Mills Industrial Estate in Ledbury.

The new store will offer local residents the choice of Aldi's wide range of competitively priced range of goods. The jobs created to operate the new store will guarantee work for each successful applicant of 25 to 30 hours per week at £8.40 an hour, which is above the government's planned new National Living Wage.

The proposed site, on the New Mills Industrial Estate, is currently vacant scrubland.

The application will facilitate the expansion of the neighbouring Galebreaker factory which is located adjacent to the proposed site of the Aldi store. This would help to preserve existing local jobs, create new ones and secure the future of this local business in Ledbury.

An extensive public consultation involving the residents of Ledbury prior to the submission of the application revealed substantial support for Aldi's proposals. To date, 885 (90%) of responses have been in support of the plans.

A spokesperson for Aldi commented: We've been working closely with the planners at Herefordshire County Council to produce an application that benefits Ledbury. With approximately 40 jobs created through our new store and the additional employment created by expanding the Galebreaker factory, there is a real economic benefit for the town. This is on top of the additional choice presented to local residents from Aldi’s award winning range, many of whom wish to economise on their weekly shop. He added I would urge all those who have taken an interest in our proposals to make their views known to Herefordshire Council and local Councillors as the application reaches a decision over the coming weeks.

- Ends -

For more information contact: Will Morgan
e. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
t. 0117-247-0157

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