Discount supermarket chain Aldi has revealed plans for a new £9 million store in Upton, Wirral. The proposal aims to develop a site at Champions Business Park and is expected to create up to 40 new jobs for the local community.
The multi-million-pound investment focuses on a vacant brownfield site at the junction of Arrowe Brook Road and Arrowe Park Road. Aldi is now seeking public feedback on the project before a formal planning application is submitted to Wirral Council.
Key Takeaways
- Aldi has announced plans for a new supermarket in Upton, Wirral.
- The project represents a £9 million investment in the area.
- Up to 40 new full-time and part-time jobs are expected to be created.
- The proposed location is a brownfield site at Champions Business Park.
- The company has launched a public consultation to gather community feedback.
Details of the Proposed Development
The proposed Aldi store would be situated on a currently underused plot of land within the Champions Business Park. According to initial designs, the development would occupy an existing car park and an area of green space on the corner of the business park.
Aldi states that the new store is intended to meet a growing local demand for high-quality, affordable groceries. The company argues that the Upton area is underserved by discount food retailers, with many residents relying on more expensive convenience stores for their shopping.
In a statement, the supermarket chain said the new store would offer a “meaningful alternative” for shoppers in the area. The project is framed as a significant regeneration effort for a vacant brownfield site.
Project at a Glance
- Total Investment: £9 million
- Job Creation: Up to 40 local positions
- Location: Champions Business Park, Upton
- Site Type: Brownfield land
Infrastructure and Access Plans
Addressing potential traffic and access concerns is a key part of the proposal. Aldi has confirmed that it has been working closely with Wirral Council’s Highways officers to ensure the store's design integrates safely and efficiently with the local road network.
Vehicle access to the supermarket's car park would be from Arrowe Brook Road. The plans also include dedicated loading bays for deliveries, designed to minimise disruption to traffic flow. Furthermore, the design incorporates specific safe access points for pedestrians travelling to and from the store.
These infrastructure considerations are particularly relevant given the history of other supermarket proposals in the vicinity.
Aldi's Vision for the Upton Community
Aldi is presenting the project as a positive development for Upton, emphasising both the economic benefits and the increased consumer choice it would bring. Stephen Jones, Real Estate Manager for Aldi, commented on the plans.
“We’re delighted to announce our plans for a new food store at this site in Upton. The site is ideally located with excellent accessibility for local residents, allowing us to bring our award-winning products to the area while redeveloping a strategic brownfield site, and deliver a discount food store that complements the existing highways network.”
The company has launched a pre-application consultation to give residents an opportunity to review the plans and provide their thoughts. This feedback will be considered before the final planning application is lodged with the council.
Previous Supermarket Plans in Upton
This is not the first time a budget supermarket has proposed a new store in the Upton area. Rival chain Lidl previously submitted plans to build a store on a site opposite Upton police station, which it intended to purchase from Wirral Council. However, in 2023, local councillors voted to reject Lidl's proposal, citing significant concerns about the potential impact on traffic at a nearby roundabout. Lidl subsequently presented revised plans for the same site later that year.
Next Steps for the Proposal
The public consultation phase is the first formal step in Aldi's plan. The company will gather feedback from residents, local businesses, and other stakeholders before finalising its designs.
Once the consultation period is complete, Aldi will review the feedback and incorporate any necessary changes into its proposal. A formal planning application will then be submitted to Wirral Council for consideration.
The council's planning committee will then be responsible for reviewing the application, taking into account planning policies, the feedback from the public consultation, and reports from council officers, including those from the highways department, before making a final decision.