Aldi bid for Asda site with new application

Asda has an exisiting planning permission to develop a supermarket at the former Abraham Ormerod Centre and Olympia Cinema sites at Burnley Road, Todmorden, but a new planning application (number 15/01647/FUL) to develop a store there has been submitted by global discount supermarket chain Aldi Stores Limited.

Fellow discount supermarket Lidl is already planning to build a new store on land off Halifax Road at the other site of the town centre.

Applying to demolish the existing buildings with the site then comprising a new retail discount food store with associated parking of 84 spaces, pedestrian access routes and servicing and structured low maintenance landscaping, Aldi estimates up to 40 jobs would be created in-store withadditional employment for construction, maintenance, window cleaning and the like.

A supporting statement from The Harris Partnership Ltd to Calderdale Council planners claims as a foodstore with predominantly own labelled brands Aldi would not compete directly with existing businesses in the town centre as it did not have an in-store baker, butcher, fishmonger or cafe and did not sell cigarettes, customers linking trips to the Aldi with other local shops.

“An Aldi store is a modest scale supermarket that provides a limited product range...the layout of an Aldi store is eminently practical, its design reflects the company philosophy of offering unrivalled value for money through cost-effective management,” says the statement.

With that in mind, the overall design of the proposal has been developed in a contemporary modern style, it said.

A spokesperson said: “I can confirm that Aldi are indeed hoping to open a site on Burnley Road, Todmorden, which would have a target opening date of 2017.”

Any representations on the application should be lodged with the council by Friday, January 29.