Wirral success for Aldi and Caldy

The European grocery group will develop a site at Champion Business Park, Upton, while the sports club can start working on the redevelopment of its clubhouse.

Both items were approved unanimously at Thursday’s meeting of Wirral Council’s planning committee.

DLP Consultants is working with Caldy Sports Club on its redevelopment project, which includes the demolition of its existing clubhouse,  and construction of new enlarged clubhouse to also include a community hub.

The project also covers the remodelling of the club’s car park, new groundsman’s maintenance buildings, tractor store and bike store, along with associated landscaping and planting.

The matter went to committee due to a councillor registering a query over new-build development in the area, due to Green Belt questions and its proximity to a site of special scientific interest.

While there were a small number of objections, the organisation, a popular sporing and social hub for the area and home to rugby, cricket and hockey clubs, rallied support that vastly outweighed opposition, with 500+ letters of support.

Recommending approval, officers had noted that in their view the project preserves the openness of the Green Belt.

Part of the former Champion spark plugs factory site, the Aldi plot is located at the junction of Arrowe Park Road and Arrowe Brook Road. The site includes existing business units and associated car park and soft landscaping.

Avison Young is representing Aldi, which will deliver a 20,573 sq ft store with 138 car parking spaces.

Regular architect The Harris Partnership has designed the scheme.