Plans for a new Aldi store in Harborough are set to be approved

Plans to replace Harborough’s existing Aldi with an new store on the edge of town could be given the go-ahead.

Harborough District Council has recommended outline planning permission be granted for the £5 million store on Rockingham Road.

A decision is set to made next Tuesday (February 28) at a district council planning meeting.

The site is proposed to be divided into two parts, with the northern area for retail use as a food store and a south-western area for industrial use.

Facilities will include toilets, baby changing facilities, warehousing, plant room, cold rooms, servicing areas and staff areas.

There will be 129 car parking spaces – 29 more than the existing store in Springfield Street.

The new supermarket will allow 10 more jobs in addition to the existing staff who will be relocated.

Is it expected the current store will be occupied by another retail business, with food retailers not off the table.

Seven objections have been raised by the public concerning its impact on footfall to independent retailers located around the current Aldi given its central location, as well as the proximity of industrial space to residential homes. Waitrose, which has a store adjacent to the current Aldi, has also raised an objection to the impact on the viability of trade in Market Harborough’s primary shopping centre.

Aldi has since hit back to the letter. It suggested that, since Waitrose insisted the existing Aldi helped boost footfall, a new convenience food retailer – which the British chain had also objected to - would surely have a similar, positive impact. The value supermarket said nothing had been further received from Waitrose since its objection in July.

There are also concerns around a lack of cycling infrastructure as well as increased congestion in the area, which will include an access from a right turn lane at a priority junction on Rockingham Road.

However, 136 letters were received from the community in support of the plans.

The positives included: more choice, additional jobs, area enhancement, supporting the growing Harborough population and the environmental standards to which it will be built.