A controversial scheme for a new Aldi store in a Derbyshire village has been given the go-ahead by council planners – despite fears about increased gridlock traffic and air pollution.
Chesterfield Borough Council’s planning committee approved by a majority vote Aldi Foodstores Ltd’s planning application for a new store at the former site of Robinson’s Caravans Ltd, on Ringwood Road, at Brimington, near Chesterfield.
The committee gave the go-ahead after councillors and the applicant’s representative considered residents’ concerns about increased traffic problems along the A619, the impact on St Michael and All Angels Church, the nearby Brimington Conservation Area, and neighbouring properties.
Concerned Cllr Mick Brady, who supports the scheme, said: “Brimington is a special area in terms of pollution. We have been buying hybrid cars for years but we are a long way off. I am going to support it, but I fully expect it to cause extra traffic and pollution but I just hope the residents of Brimington support it as well.”
The single-storey store will be built on nearly one hectare of land at the junction of the A619 Ringwood Road and High Street, in Brimington, and it would be near to the Grade II Listed St Michael’s Church as well as Heywood House Children’s Nursery and the Three Horseshoes pub.
Developers have been granted planning permission to demolish buildings at the former site of Robinson’s caravan sales business and build the new store with access points, car parking, a servicing area and hard and soft landscaping.
The scheme includes 130 car parking spaces including six easy accessible spaces, seven parent and child spaces, cycle hoops with six of the parking spaces to be equipped with Electric Vehicle Charging Points and below ground infrastructure so a further 18 EVCPs could be added in the future.
There would also be a new access point to Ringwood Road, public realm areas including new pedestrian walkways to Ringwood Road and High Street with new soft and hard landscaping.
Concerns were raised by a number of residents and businesses plus a planning consultancy that the scheme will lead to increased traffic congestion, air pollution, an impact on heritage and residents and that it should only be allowed if the proposed Staveley bypass plans go ahead.
But Derbyshire County Council’s Highways Authority stated the scheme does not pose an unacceptable impact on highway safety or a severe impact on congestion even though Cllr Jacqueline Ridgway fears they have not given the situation full consideration.
Cllr Brady added: “Part of the reason everyone wants to build a bypass is to do away with specifically the problems in Brimington.
“It’s the standing traffic that creates the problems for the houses so near the roads. Derbyshire County Council’s highways authority says no objections but we have heard that before.”
Even though Brimington Parish Council has welcomed the development and the creation of jobs it has also raised ‘major concerns’ over the increase in traffic in the vicinity both in and out of the site and given that the A619 is already considered to be a very congested route.
Cllr Keith Miles also told the meeting he has concerns about pollution but a council officer stated that an environmental health officer has reported an improvement in air quality in the area.
An Aldi spokesperson said 85 percent of more than 500 respondents in a survey have been supportive of the scheme and Aldi acknowledges the highways concerns but it has done everything requested to comply and there have been no statutory objections.
The spokesperson added that the scheme will provide a foodstore for local residents so they will not need to travel and it will also create 40 jobs for local people.
Resident Lucy Cooper also told the meeting that she believes the store will be within ideal and useful walking distance for the community and that it will help other businesses by attracting people to Brimington.
And despite concerns about the impact of the store upon nearby St Michael and All Angels Church and the nearby Brimington Conservation Area, council officers argued the new scheme would lead to ‘less than substantial harm to the significance of the nearby heritage assets’ after the restoration of the derelict former site.
The committee voted by a majority to grant planning permission with conditions for Aldi Foodstores Ltd’s application after there were only two objections from Cllr Miles and Cllr Ridgway.