Aldi moves St Helens store onto starting blocks
The food retailer is seeking public opinion ahead of submitting a hybrid planning application for a store off Laffak Road.
Aldi has now opened a consultation, as it looks to pursue detailed consent for a food store, alongside outline proposals for additional development opportunities within the site.
Regular partner The Harris Partnership is working with the supermarket group.
The outline elements will come forward in future under individual reserved matters applications. Typically, occupiers for such facilities are drive-thru concessions of coffee brands such as Costa, or other takeaway operators.
The brownfield site is located south of the East Lancs Road, and is currently home to a vacant petrol station, disused buildings and a pallet recycling facility.
Aldi’s proposals include realigning Laffak Road in line with the council’s development brief and reserving land for a potential future railway station.
The discounter said that with aspirations for the area’s redevelopment being “long-standing” it is pleased to help transform it, bringing much-needed investment and new amenities for the community.
Aldi and its team argue that the north of St Helens is poorly served by local foodstores, with a solitary Tesco Express the only option of scale in the locality – the nearest full-sized supermarket is around 1.5m away.
The consultation runs until 24 March and can be viewed here.
I think it’s a great idea to have Aldi in this location, the area has been an eyesore for many years and it would be good to see it finally being put to good use. Look forward to shopping in this store very soon.
By Anonymous
This site was been a mess for decades. Not long ago the planning committee rejected plans for 130+ affordable homes. Good luck!
By Asprin Going
I hope this development goes ahead, something needs doing on this site.
Numerous other proposals have failed due to NIMBYS
By Anonymous
It would be a great development, and get rid of the eyesore that it is now. No doubt the snobbish locals will petition against it as they did with McDonald’s on the derelict Carr Mill cafe site
By Mr Rac
Another out of centre car-centric Aldi. Another perfectly good housing site potentially lost to out of centre car-centric retail.
By Anonymous
The planned development is good news for the area. Firstly it is a brownfield site and a bit of an eyesore at the moment. Secondly, there is no supermarket servicing the Laffak, Haresfinch and Hinckley Rd area. Thirdly, it will create a number of welcome new jobs for the town. Everyone wins as far as I see it.
By Stephen Callery
Though this land was for railway station and development of car mill don’t need any more stores in St Helens few years ago they made Morrisons sell off safeway store in town
By Anonymous
I oppose to this because I live next door to it and the disruption and traffic will b a nightmare
By Anonymous
This will create unacceptable volumes of extra traffic passing our property which will undoubtedly become gridlocked.Getting on and off our driveway will become even more difficult than it already is It will also be an intrusion of our privacy if built near to our boundaries.Noise and antisocial behaviour are also a major concern both during opening hours and after closing we already have a Tesco express and a full shopping precinct within walking distance
By Anonymous
Considering the size of the moss bank and Carr mill estates there is hardly any retail outlets of any size within walking distance . Elderly residents would surely welcome a choice of shopping at a supermarket which is famous for value for money
By John Barnett
I oppose this development. Haresfinch does not need a large supermarket. All other Aldi stores in the area are located on retail parks except Clock Face which is situated on a main road. I live in Haresfinch precisely for the fact it is not near a large supermarket. Aldi seem to believe that every area of St Helen’s should have one of their stores in it. Haresfinch is a residential area not a retail park. The dri thru”s proposed will bring extra traffic and littering will become an issue. People who say the welcome the development will be the same people that will not have to live with it near their homes.
By Anonymous