Aldi says store could be open by end of year (From Knutsford Guardian)

Aldi says store could be open by end of year

4:40pm Wednesday 1st February 2012 in News By David Morgan

ALDI has offered a glimmer of hope that its plans for a supermarket in Knutsford have not been shelved.

The German grocery giant has just submitted amended plans to Cheshire East Council and has set a date for opening by the end of 2012.

Revised blueprints show the 1,420 square metre supermarket in Brook Street will have 91 parking spaces and an entrance between Knutsford Day Nursery and Hollow Lane.

A spokesman for Aldi said: “We are planning to open our new Aldi store by the end of 2012. We recently submitted a planning application to Cheshire East Council for some minor amendments to the store layout.

“We hope to have approval for these plans shortly, prior to progressing with construction on site.”

But the new plans are likely to raise as many questions as they answer, as a large patch of land to the south east is simply labelled as ‘site for future development’.

This area was formerly known as Cranford Court and was home to a row of cottages dating back to the 18th century, including Caesars Place.

The buildings, which were on the watch list of historical Knutsford buildings, were demolished without planning permission in September 2009 by developers working on behalf of Aldi.

Beulah Cornes, a volunteer at the nearby Brook Street Chapel, said: “I’ll be pleased when things get moving and something is done.

“But when it says ‘site for future development’, I’d like to know what that means, particularly when they pulled down the cottages in the first place. I’m surprised about this, as I thought the plans had completely died a death.”

But John Groves, who has run Station Garage for 15 years, is relieved to see some progress, as the site has been attracting nuisance youths who, last year, set a small fire near his business.

“As soon as they start building and secure the site, I will have peace of mind,” he said. “I just want them to get on with it.”

But John told the Guardian that the site would be better suited as a retail park.

He said: “I think it’s the perfect place for something like an Argos. There are enough supermarkets here, and yet you can’t buy a CD or DVD in Knutsford.”

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