The Aldi Store on the former Swimming Pool site

An application for full planning permission was submitted by Aldi on August 18th with full supporting documents. The planning committee will sit on November 17th 2008.
Following the presentations made to the full Community Council and also to the SEARCH Group, the Futures Group met to consider how to respond to the application. There were three main strands to the discussion in the group. Clearly (and increasingly in these difficult times) a discount store with good quality and low prices would be welcome in the area. The location of the store is nearly 300 yards / 4 minutes walk from the centre of the existing shops and as Aldi will not stock newspapers, toiletries or cigarettes people will have to visit two areas on foot or by car / bus. The proposed building would have a significant impact by on the green area along Crow Lane. We need to ensure we enhance our green areas as they are a considerable value in our urban surroundings.
It was clear that opposing the application on the grounds that the proposed store was in the wrong place could lead to eventual refusal and the loss of any discount store in Henbury and Brentry. Thus the Futures Group resolved that we should support the application but press for significant improvement in local transport in Brentry and Henbury funded by Aldi, who of course would benefit from more customers being able to get to their store. This was the substance of our formal response to the planning department about the application. We welcome your comments on this issue on the website.
http://henburyandbrentrynewsletter.blogspot.com

Tim Parkinson
H&BCC Futures Group