Aldi steps up Formby store bid with shuttle bus pledge and plea for council talks

Bosses of German supermarket chain, Aldi, have stepped up their battle with councillors to open a Formby store in North Merseyside.

The retailer wants to develop a £9m site on derelict land currently designated Green Belt, but which already has planning permission for seven luxury houses.

Sefton Council’s planning committee has been recommended to refuse permission at its meeting this Wednesday evening (July 26), which led to Aldi urging Formby residents to attend and show their support for the scheme, which it says has the backing of more than 450 people.

Now, the retailer is calling for the application to be deferred to enable further talks with the council.

And, in a bid to sweeten the deal, it has pledged to provide a free shuttle bus for shoppers, and pay for more than £750,000 of highways improvements on the bypass serving the proposed store, as well as suggesting traffic calming measures for the road link.

Bryn Richards, Aldi real estate director, said: “We’re committed to delivering a new Aldi store for the residents of Formby and willing to invest in ensuring we present the best possible proposal for the town.

“Having reviewed feedback from planning officers, we’re confident that our investment in highways improvements will ensure the smooth flow of traffic, prioritise pedestrian safety and improve connectivity for the community.

“We want to work with the council to address all concerns raised as we believe our proposal presents the only opportunity to bring a discount food store to the town. We’re calling on members of the planning committee to defer our application to allow more time for our response to concerns to be considered.”

Aldi says the free shuttle would enhance connections between the residential streets, bus and rail interchanges in the town centre and the new store, efficiently serving the local community and providing access to a discount food store. This model has been successfully implemented elsewhere in the country.

The package of proposed highways improvements includes reducing the speed limit from 60mph to 40mph between the Southport Road roundabout and Tesco, a new pedestrian crossing and a new signalised junction with additional turning lanes. These changes are informed by a comprehensive transport assessment, that will prioritise the flow of traffic along the bypass and create a safer environment for all road users as examined by an independent Stage One Road Safety Audit.

Aldi says its transport assessment has conclusively shown that the development will not adversely affect the safety and efficiency of the existing highway network, both now and in the future.