Whitchurch Aldi store plan is thrown out

Councillors say building the budget store on the Whitchurch bypass would take trade out of the town centre and damage the local economy.

Aldi wanted to build a store off the Chester Road junction on the bypass next to the Llangollen canal. It said it would improve local roads and provide a shopper bus to and from the town centre.

But permission was refused by the north planning committee of Shropshire Council at Shirehall yesterday.

The plans brought objections from Whitchurch Town Council which said while it would welcome the addition of Aldi to the town the site was unsuitable and would have a highly detrimental affect on the town and traders.

Rival supermarket Lidl also objected, saying it would consider legal action if planning permission was granted because of the impact a new store would have.

Planning officer Karen Townend said planning department of was not concerned with the affect on Lidl but was concerned about the effect on the town centre.

"The benefits offered by Aldi do not outweigh the harm the store would do to the town centre," she said.

Councillor Peggy Mullock said small shops would lose footfall as shoppers went out of town and she she also feared traffic dangers if the store was built on the busy bypass.

Councillor Pauline Dee said: "Market towns everywhere are struggling in today's economic climate. This will have a dreadful effect on the town centre.

"We are town trade will fall by nine-10 per cent. Small shops are the lifeblood of our towns. How many could carry on trading with that drop."

There's were also fears for the affect on tourism with the store next to the canal, with Councillor Joyce Barrow saying it would be very visible from the waterway.

"Whitchurch has gone through a wonderful revitalisation recently, it's been a huge success. But this would take people out of the shops and out of the town centre."