Councillor slams six year wait for Aldi store in Birmingham as ‘abomination’

The six year wait for a new Aldi store in Longbridge has been described as an “absolute abomination” by a Birmingham councillor.

The plans for the new store were approved by the city council’s planning committee last month and will see a number of existing buildings on Bristol Road South demolished to make way for the development.

As part of the plans, 109 car parking spaces were proposed as well as four electric vehicle charging spaces and ten bicycle spaces under the store entrance canopy.

“Approximately 50 jobs would be created with a mix of full and part-time opportunities recruited from within the community,” a council officer’s report said.

It said 272 letters of support were received, which “outlined the store is much-needed in the area especially during the cost-of-living crisis and the development would be another step in helping Longbridge continue to grow”.

Plans for an Aldi store in Bristol Road South were previously refused back in 2018.

Reacting to the proposals being approved, subject to conditions, Frankley Great Park councillor Simon Morrall said the decision was “brilliant news and long overdue”, adding it would create jobs and help families with the cost of living.

Going on to criticise the Labour-run council, he continued: “Myself and Cllr Delaney have long campaigned for this but for some stupid reason the city council rejected it six years ago despite overwhelming public support.

“This site has been a derelict eyesore since Rover went bust back in 2005 and the same year I left Colmers school.

“It’s great to see Planning finally come to their senses – but it really shouldn’t have taken this long to get diggers in the ground.”

“An absolute abomination of the planning process at Birmingham City Council,” he added. “I look forward to it opening and serving so many amazing residents across the B45 area.”

One of the reasons for refusal back in 2018 was that the application was located on an allocated ‘Regional Investment Site’ and was a departure from the adopted Birmingham Development Plan.

Speaking at last month’s planning meeting, Cllr Gareth Moore said: “I remember the application when it came to committee in 2018, I voted in favour of it.

“I thought it would be a good addition for the area. I remain of that view so happy to support it and appreciate it’s down for approval this time.”

The report published last month noted the Birmingham Development Plan Preferred Options Document was currently out for consultation at the time.

“The proposed changes to the site allocation through the consultation indicate a clear focus of industrial development on the main body of the Regional Investment Site/core employment land, freeing this site and the wider frontage for other growth zone development,” it continued.

It went on to say a “significant change” had occurred on the ground following the granting of planning permissions in recent years that form a “material consideration and exceptional justification for this application”.

“The development of the main body of the West Works site is progressing for industrial development, the infrastructure works have been completed and the adjacent housing to the rear of the West Works site is under construction,” it said.

The report said that on that basis, the proposed food store development was considered “acceptable”.

“The development would create local employment opportunities and would comfortably occupy a vacant site sat […] in compliance with the wider growth and regeneration plan for Longbridge,” it added.

“The store would also serve the new housing located to the rear of the site on the other side of the River Rea”.

Proposed opening hours for the new store are 8am to 10pm Monday to Saturday and 10am to 4pm on Sundays.

The existing buildings which would be demolished include 1629, 1631, 1651 and 1653 Bristol Road South.

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