‘We’re not giving up’ – supermarket giant vows to fight for new store
Aldi is ready to push again for a new food store in Horncastle in Lincolnshire, despite a recent legal challenge from Lidl.
The supermarket chain is resolute in its plans to develop a store on Spilsby Road, which would create up to 40 jobs for the local community.
The initial approval for the Aldi store came after local councillors received 290 letters of support.
However, East Lindsey Council’s decision was overturned when Lidl launched a High Court challenge after the council approved Aldi’s store plans without evaluating Lidl’s competing proposal.
The planning dispute began when Aldi and Lidl applied for planning permission for stores on different parcels of land outside Horncastle’s centre in March 2022 and April 2022.
Despite this setback, Aldi remains committed and is currently updating its formal assessments, with plans to present its case again in the coming months.
Mark Stringer, Aldi’s real estate director, said: “We were thrilled to see our proposal attract such strong support from local people and councillors in 2022. They backed our plans to bring investment, new jobs, and unbeatable value to Horncastle.
“While we are understandably disappointed with the outcome of the legal challenge, our commitment to the town remains unwavering. We are confident that, with the support of the people in Horncastle once again, we can finally bring this positive investment to the town. We want to ensure that residents have access to the best possible shopping experience. We’re not giving up.”
Lidl has been contacted for comment.
