Alternative site suggested for Whitchurch's new Aldi supermarket

The original planning application was submitted for a store off Wrexham Road, which is currently out for consultation.

But now Rula Developments has put forward an alternative site off Heath Road to Shropshire Council, claiming it would be more suitable because it is closer to the town centre.

A letter on behalf of the firm states: "Rula Developments has agreement with landowners to bring the wider site forward for development.

"An initial assessment of infrastructure costs by Rula Developments indicate that with the appropriate mix and scale of development, the ability to pump prime delivery of the wider employment site is viable and achievable.

"We consider the Heath Road site to be sequentially preferable to the Wrexham Road site.

"The Heath Road site is located materially closer to the town centre and has greater likelihood of forming connections with the town centre.

"There are wider significant benefits which would be delivered through locating a new food store on a site already allocated for development and one which could form part of a wider mix of uses which would help pump prime major investment in a new employment site to serve the town.

"We trust these representations will be taken into account and that it would lead to a recommendation to refuse the Aldi application on the Wrexham Road site given the availability of a suitable site within the development limits of the town that could accommodate the proposed development."

Despite backing plans for an Aldi supermarket in Whitchurch in principle, members of Whitchurch Town Council have also said they cannot support the scheme because of concerns about the site being off the busy Wrexham Road.

Plans submitted to Shropshire Council state traffic management measures and new parking arrangements in Wrexham Road will be introduced to improve the current road situation.

These include creating a right-turn lane into the site from Wrexham Road, two vehicle-activated speeding signs, and an extension to the 30mph zone on the road outside the supermarket.

The firm said the shop could create up to 40 permanent full and part-time jobs for local people, in addition to roles during construction and supply-chain opportunities created by the shop being built.

Aldi has revealed 76 per cent of people have so far welcomed the proposal. It follows a public exhibition where the firm invited more than 4,600 local residents and businesses to attend to view the plans.