Plans to demolish an Exeter Aldi - and to replace it with a new and bigger Aldi store – have been given the go ahead.
Exeter City Council planners under delegated powers have approved the redevelopment of the Exhibition Way supermarket, which aims to re-invigorate and help continued investment and jobs within the local area.
The scheme will see the demolition of the garage building to the north-east and the existing Aldi food store, which was built in 2005, and the construction of a new Aldi food store and car park in its place.
The new Aldi will have a larger retail floor area and the reconfigured car park will provide 102 customer spaces, 40 more than at present, including 5 spaces for disabled users and 9 parent and child designated spaces.
Entrance to the site by car would move further north-east along the access road so as to improve separation and visibility with the proposed E4 cycle link works to Exhibition Way, where there would also be a separate pedestrian access.
Following no objections from any statutory consultees and just two from members of the public, council planners under their delegated authority granted permission for the supermarket replacement scheme on Wednesday.
When the application was submitted in March, a planning and retail statement with it explained that the replacement store was required to improve efficiency and operations at the store, relieve parking pressures, and provide better shopping facilities for customers.
It added: “The larger stores will be used to provide a larger sales area and improved warehousing and staff welfare areas, and will include additional tills, wider aisles and an increased range of goods.
“The car park is currently operating over capacity for the proposals would provide much needed additional parking spaces and alleviate existing pressures.
“The proposed replacement Aldi store will have economic benefits in respect of securing jobs and creating new jobs, while ensuring the scheme integrates with its existing surroundings.”
