Objections and support for new Aldi in West Sussex town: residents react to supermarket chain’s planning application

Aldi Stores recently applied to Mid Sussex District Council to knock down existing buildings at Sussex House, Perrymount Road, and build a store on the site.

People can see the application at pa.midsussex.gov.uk/online-applications by searching for reference DM/24/3077.

There have been many letters from people in Haywards Heath and the surrounding area both strongly objecting to, and supporting, the plan.

A Drummond Close resident said: “Support the principle of redevelopment of the site as the existing buildings are an incoherent mess. However the proposed development does nothing to improve matters. A single storey retail building with yet more land given over to car-parking in this area (in addition to Waitrose, the station car park and Sainsburys) represents underdevelopment on a large site situated in a very sustainable location close to the train station. Given the huge need for additional housing in the district and surrounding areas development of the site should be required to be much higher density and contribute housing or employment space above the shop.”

A Park View resident said: “The proposed refrigeration plant will produce noise in an area that currently enjoys very little noise interference. Whilst we note that there will be sound attenuation fencing and vegetation planned to damping the noise, this plant will be running 24/7 365 days of the year. There will be significant increased car, shopping trolleys and pedestrian noise from the site during longer hours than the current usage of the property.”

They added: “There seems to be the possibility that depending on the height of the proposed building and how that relates to our property, our light will be interrupted.”

A Ruppell Rise resident said: “Perrymount Road is already extremely busy and poorly surfaced. Increased traffic so close to the train station and an already busy roundabout will doubtless cause a significant increase in traffic and accidents.”

A Courtlands residents was also concerned about the ‘traffic implications’, saying: “The number of parking spaces seem to be on the low side too.”

A Balcombe resident said: “Any new development of this site should have at least four floors of apartments above the retail space and the car parking should be underground.”

They said one solution to provide more housing in Mid Sussex is to redevelop the centres of both Burgess Hill and Haywards Heath. He said: “The Victorian and later housing is at a very low density and needs replacing by higher density housing, as seen all over the rest of the world. Currently, the shops in both towns are struggling through lack of footfall, with many empty or occupied by charity shops. We need apartment blocks of four or five floors, above the shop levels, with underground car parking.”

Letters in support expressed delight at the possibility that the store could give residents more shopping variety and create jobs.

A Ridgeway resident said: “I think it will be very beneficial to have a a reasonably produced supermarket in the area. It will bring in lots of job opportunity for the local community too.”

A Gordon Road resident said: “I support this application as it provides a much needed discount food retailer for Haywards Heath. The location is ideal as there mare good public transport links and the buildings that are being replaced are of little economic value to the town.”

A Harlands House resident said: “Removing our need to drive to Burgess Hill for groceries would be very positive, both in terms of practicality and environmental impact.”

A Hassocks resident said: “Obviously there are some concerns, the loss of a Post Office counter, and the traffic, but with a good bus service stopping nearby, not everyone will use cars to shop!”

A Balcombe Road resident said the scheme would ‘smarten up the current site, which looks tired and neglected’.

A Pond Meadow resident said: “This would be a very positive step forward for the town. Offering great value produce to lower income families in particular.”

Mid Sussex District Council is carrying out a consultation on the plans before making a decision on granting planning permission. Visit aldiconsultation.co.uk/haywardsheath.