A York supermarket has revealed plans to extend one of its stores, on the site of a recent planning row.
Aldi wants to expand along the full length of the front of its outlet on Fulford Road.
The company said: “Our proposals would see the current store extended along the full length of the existing eastern side to provide additional retail space to ensure that the Fulford Road store meets the expectations of our customers.
Aldi, Fulford Road
“The building will not be moving closer to our rear and western boundaries and the current delivery, and plant and equipment facilities will remain the same.
“The extension will create room for the new-look store to make it easier for our customers to shop with us.”
Aldi said the changes would include:
- One extra aisle, and wider aisles throughout the store
- An increase in floorspace of more than a third
- Additional chillers for fresh food
- An upgrade in the look of the store
- Better heating and refrigeration systems “to make the store more sustainable”.
Up to ten new full-time jobs would be created, on top of the 30 existing staff.
A planning application has been submitted to City of York Council.
“The proposals involve the demolition of the portico and the roof to be infilled with Redland Regent roof tiles to match the existing on the eastern and southern elevations,” planning documents say.
The plans would see a reduction of 13 car parking spaced, down to 94. Four electric vehicle parking bays would be included. No changes are proposed for vehicle access from Fulford Road.
If its plans are approved, Aldi says it wants to be a considerate neighbour, keeping nearby residents informed of when the store would close, the times of the building work, and a date for the opening of the extended store.
The supermarket states: “This extension is needed due to the significant growth of popularity of Aldi over the past few years meaning that some stores, including the Fulford Road store, overtrading.
“Therefore these plans to extend the store will ensure a better shopping experience for customers thorough allowing modest changes to the internal layout of the store.
“The scheme is also eminently deliverable in the short term, with Aldi targeting commencement of works on site immediately following the granting of planning permission.
“The scheme will therefore provide an important, immediate term boost to the local economy during what remains a very challenging economic period.”
The planning application comes after a bid to create a McDonald’s fast food restaurant in the empty former Iceland supermarket on the same site was refused by councillors.
That followed an outcry from residents, with more than 3,000 people signing a petition against the plan.
Objectors gave many different reasons to turn down this McDonald’s, including the added traffic on Fulford Road, the fears that the car park would become full, and the added noise, smell and litter it could cause.
But it is the health impact on children attending the nearby schools that carried sway with the council.
From the initial response to the Aldi proposal it is unlikely to attract similar opposition, with many saying they would welcome the expansion of the popular budget supermarket.