Decision due on replacement Lewes Aldi supermarket

The German retailer wants to replace its current store with a reconfigured larger premises on a different part of the Brooks Road application site with reconfigured parking.

If approved three employment units next door would be demolished.

An application is due to be discussed by the South Downs National Park Authority’s planning committee next Thursday (March 12).

The current proposals incorporate substantial changes that were made to the original scheme in response to extensive negotiations with national park officers.

The revised plans include changes to both the location of the store and its design and materials.

While the current store has a retail area of 990m2 and 81 parking spaces, the new store, located in the northern part of an enlarged site, would provide 1,254m2 of floorspace and 110 parking spaces.

The application was originally submitted to Lewes District Council in October 2018, but was called in by the national park in April 2019.

The new store would be located along the western site boundary with active frontage on its southern elevation.

Vehicle access would remain unchanged for both lorries and cars coming from Brooks Road to the east of the site.

A lorry turning area would be differentiated from the rest of the car park.

Pedestrian access would be provided across the car park, with a path proposed from the front of the store up to the perimeter close to the bus stop.

Lewes Town Council has supported the plan and said it was pleased to see investment in the town.

But it wants a clearly-defined route for pedestrians in the car park, cycle parking to be a priority, any flat-roof areas to have ‘green’ roofing and for a dedicated taxi pick up and drop off area to be considered.

The Friends of Lewes also supported the application, while only one objection was received from a local business concerned about road congestion and car parking.

According to officers: “The existing Aldi store is popular with shoppers, but this popularity has led to problems with parking and congestion. The retail statement highlights that the store is 24 per cent smaller than the latest format Aldi store.

“The store can be described as trading considerably above the benchmark expected for a supermarket of this size. The purpose of this redevelopment is to provide an improved retail offer.”

They described how the original design and layout was not considered acceptable but the revised scheme ‘has gone some way to provide a landscape-led design’.

They concluded: “In summary, the proposal is considered to be sufficiently landscape-led and of a significantly improved design and layout over the original application.

“The proposed store meets the functional requirement of a modern supermarket, whilst conserving and enhancing the landscape character of the industrial heart of Lewes.”