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Nottingham Post
Nottingham Post
National
Olimpia Zagnat & Keimae Blake

Aldi bid for new store near rival supermarket in West Bridgford sparks debate in area

A community have shared mixed views over plans to bring a new Aldi to West Bridgford.

It comes as a planning application for the long-debated project has been submitted to the Rushcliffe Borough Council after a public consultation.

The store would be located at land between the Wilford Lane Tram Stop and The Becket Way, north of Wilford Lane - and just yards away from a proposed Lidl supermarket.

David Parsons, who has lived in nearby Compton Acres for more than 25 years, has been an avid campaigner against the plans since the start.

The 66-year-old told Nottinghamshire Live: "I am against it because it is the loss of yet another green area, which it is now basically going to have a faceless dice and concrete box put on it.

"It's going to spoil some of the vistas that look down towards the River Trent and look down towards the Beckett School which is quite a nice architectural design school.

"It's going to further increase the traffic in the area - and anybody who uses Wilford Lane on a regular or irregular basis will know that the traffic on Wilford Lane is an absolute nightmare, which is adding to the congestion and the pollution in this area.

"It's going to put another access onto the Beckett Way, which is a short road offer offer lane which is used twice a day in excess of 1000 students - so you're pushing more traffic directly across the path of these students."

Mr Parsons went on and said: "So put that with the fact that you put in this supermarket within stone throw's distance from another supermarket that's just been built in an area that's already very well served with supermarkets.

"Why on earth do we need another supermarket? It's clearly just a political decision on the part of Aldi just to thumb their noses at Lidl.

Construction work on the retail park at Wilford Lane, West Bridgford. (Joseph Raynor/ Nottingham Post)

"What good is going to come of this? Now, there really are absolutely no positives that I can see."

Meanwhile, retired Irene Porter, 69 from West Bridgford, said she does not mind having two supermarkets close to each other.

She added: "It would be nice for another store to be there because Aldi and Lidl are pretty much the same but with prices rising, two cheap shops won't hurt really.

"I think both shops will do well."

Anthony Irogue, a 41-year-old support worker from West Bridgford had walked down to the retail park to see if the work had started yet and said: "I'm happy about it - it's close to our house and tram stop."

Construction worker Carl White, 35 from West Bridgford, added: "I think it's good.

"It means people in the area don't have to travel too far to go to either one or the other.

"I think some people might complain but you just choose the one you want to go to - it's nothing worth crying over."

The multi-million-pound investment would see Aldi create around 40 new full and part time jobs if plans are being approved.

Richard Thompson, Property Director at Aldi, added: “We’ve been looking to secure a new store to serve the western part of West Bridgford for some time and we are extremely excited about the prospect of bringing our fresh, high quality, low price proposition to more customers. The proposals, which make good use of a site in a sustainable location, will provide further choice for shoppers.

Matthew Anderson, Development Director at Lateral, a specialist property advisory and development business said: “Lateral have been working for some time with the current owners of the land Star Pubs & Bars to identify a viable development option given the site’s technical constraints such as its flood risk and proximity to the tram line. Many options have been explored and we are now delighted that Aldi are committed to the site.”

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