Aldi unveils plans for new store in Haywards Heath: company ‘keen to consult’ with community before submitting application

The company announced at aldiconsultation.co.uk/haywardsheath that it wants to open a new food store on Perrymount Road, which is currently occupied by Budgens, Colourschemer Interiors and the Sussex House office building.

Aldi is preparing a planning application to submit to Mid Sussex District Council but is ‘keen to consult’ with the community beforehand.

An in-person exhibition took place on Thursday, October 24, at Haywards Heath Town Hall and a virtual exhibition and consultation is now online at aldiconsultation.co.uk/haywardsheath/our-proposals.

A spokesperson on the website said: “We will report the outcome of this consultation in a Statement of Community Involvement submitted with the planning application and encourage you to participate and provide your thoughts.”

The proposal called the current buildings on the site ‘tired and dated’, saying: “Our plans will revitalise the site: replacing the existing buildings with a carefully designed, highly sustainable new Aldi food store.”

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Aldi said the store’s sales area would be 1,290 square metres and said ‘attractive landscaping’ would be incorporated around the site. It would offer 97 car parking spaces, including five accessible spaces and five parent and child spaces, as well as four electric vehicle charging points.

Aldi said the site would be ‘an investment of £7million into the local economy, benefiting people in Haywards Heath and the wider area’. It would create up to 40 new full-time equivalent jobs that would be paid above the National Living Wage. The company added that more employment opportunities would be created during construction and through the supply chain.

Aldi called the location ‘highly accessible’ with nearby bus stops and railway station and said it is undertaking a Transport Assessment ‘to a methodology agreed with the Highway Authority’. It said: “The assessment will look at access by foot, cycle and public transport. It will test the suitability of the proposed access for customers, staff and deliveries. It will also test what impacts the development might have on the local highway network and propose any improvements that may be needed.”

People can complete an online consultation form at aldiconsultation.co.uk/haywardsheath/have-your-say. Alternatively, people can post feedback to Cavendish Consulting, 8-10 Mansion House Place, London, EC4N 8BJ; call 020 3398 1590, or email [email protected] (include name and postcode).