Proposals to create a new Aldi supermarket in Formby, creating 40 new jobs, will be decided next week.
The application for the new 1,344 sq.m store at the former Porters Fuchsias site, on Moss Side next to Formby Bypass, would include a car park with 121 parking spaces.
It is part of Aldi’s growing presence in north Sefton, and would add to existing stores at Meols Cop retail park in Southport, and on Liverpool Road in Birkdale.
The scheme will be decided by Sefton Council’s Planning Committee at Bootle Town hall at 6.30pm next Wednesday (26th July 2023).
Sefton Council’s planning department is advising councillors to reject the plans, arguing that it “would amount to inappropriate development in the Green Belt”.
Aldi says the new store will create up to 40 new jobs, increase choice and offer shopping at lower prices for people in the area.
Dozens of people have submitted their views to Sefton’s Planning department, with a split between those opposed and those in favour of the scheme.
The total planning application site totals 9,849m2 (2.43 acres).
It would involve the demolition of the existing building and the erection of a new food store with a net sales area of 1,344 sq.m, along with access from a new signalised junction on the Formby Bypass.
There would be 121 car parking spaces, including 8 accessible, 9 parent and child spaces and 4 electric vehicle charging spaces, and associated landscaping.
The proposal involves the redevelopment of a previously developed site within the Green Belt. The land previously comprised several glass houses initially used for horticulture, and then for storage.
Permission has previously been granted for seven new homes, and most of the glass houses were demolished in 2021.
The existing development on site now comprises one building and hardstanding.
In the application for Aldi, architects The Harris Partnership Ltd said: “Aldi is one of the world’s largest privately owned companies with over 7,000 stores across Europe, North America and Australia and they are proud to count themselves amongst the leading global retailers.
“Aldi opened its first stores in the UK in 1990 and currently operates approximately 785 stores across the UK and Ireland.
The proposed new Aldi store in Formby. Image by The Harris Partnership
“Aldi is able to achieve lower prices through an extraordinarily efficient operation, from the sourcing of its products, to the retail experience in store. In an Aldi store, you will not find 100’s of versions of the same thing.
“Aldi focuses on quality rather than quantity; stocking a range of groceries that includes everything shoppers need, every day of the week. This allows Aldi to get the lowest prices from suppliers – then pass on the savings to customers with quantity discounts.
“As a Foodstore with predominantly own labelled brands, Aldi would not compete directly with existing businesses. For instance, it does not have an in store butcher, fishmonger or café and does not sell cigarettes or tobacco products. This allows local businesses to flourish as customers link trips with the Aldi store and other local shops.
“The proposed site layout is informed by the design parameters of the site, such as the direction of principal views into the site and a fixed access position along Formby Bypass.
“The Aldi store is located to the south of the site, with the building mass situated towards existing developments alongside the southern boundary to allow maximum customer and occupier visibility into the scheme from Formby Bypass.
“The proposed orientation of the Aldi foodstore is that the store’s primary elevations are to face Formby Bypass and the access road into the site.
“An Aldi store is a modest scale supermarket that provides a limited product range. The total range of products is approximately 2,000 lines. This is limited in comparison to other grocery stores and supermarkets which carry between 2,500 and 40,000 product lines, with superstores carrying up to 60,000 lines.
The proposed new Aldi store in Formby. Image by The Harris Partnership
“The layout of an Aldi store is eminently practical. Its design reflects the company philosophy of offering unrivalled value for money through cost effective management. There is no unnecessary expenditure on elaborate shop fittings, with the resultant savings being reflected in low prices.”
In his report, Sefton Council Chief Planning Officer Derek McKenzie is recommending councillors to reject the proposals.
He said: “The proposal would have a significantly greater impact on the openness of the Green Belt than the existing development and would amount to inappropriate development in the Green Belt failing to preserve Green Belt openness and conflicts with the purposes of including land within it.
“In addition, insufficient information has been provided to demonstrate that the proposed development would not cause harm to highway safety, or that it meets the minimum requirements for accessibility.
“The proposal would not give rise to concerns to living standards of neighbouring residents, ecology, or flooding.
“The proposal would divert some trade away from Formby centre, but this would not be so significant as to impact on the vitality or viability of the centre. Furthermore, the food store would offer a wider choice for the area.
“In summary, the harm to the Green Belt, and other harm resulting from this proposal significantly outweighs the weight given to other considerations. Consequently, very special circumstances necessary to justify the development do not exist.”
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