Aldi's new plan for a food store in Ivybridge has been submitted to South Hams District Council.

In May, over 30 members of the public and councillors gathered at the Watermark Centre in Ivybridge to hear about Aldi's plans for a new £8 million store close to the town.

This application is the second submitted by the "Euro food giant" after they were refused planning permission for a store on land behind the Town Council building in 2022.

The new location planned for the store is between the Parish of Ugborough and Ivybridge East on Rutt Lane.

The plans, detailed in a comprehensive Design and Access Statement, outline the development of a 2,007-square-metre supermarket on the current greenfield site off Rutt Lane, approximately 1 km outside the main town.

The proposed store is expected to offer a variety of affordable grocery options for residents and provide a boost to the local economy through job creation and increased consumer choice.

The site was also selected for its location adjacent to residential areas and close to Ivybridge railway station, offering better accessibility and favoured for its potential to serve the community.

During the May meeting, the issues raised included concerns over vehicle pollution, the planned removal of some trees, worries from residents of the neighbouring new homes about how they would be affected, and possible anti-social behaviour in the car park when the store is closed.

To address some of these issues, the plan has considered several measures, including border softening with new trees and landscaping, as well as various security measures to mitigate any disruption to neighbouring properties, such as CCTV and secure fencing around the site.

The new application, which has been live for just over a two weeks, has so far been met with a small number of objections, with the main concerns being the impact on infrastructure and local businesses. However, the majority of comments on the application are in support, with residents commenting, "It is a far better plan than the previous application," and, "I fully support this proposal; it will greatly benefit families needing to shop on a budget."

The application will be discussed at the Town Council’s Development and Infrastructure Committee meeting on Monday 19 August 2024 at 6pm in The Watermark.

The full proposal can be viewed under this planning reference: 2363/24/FUL.