COVENTRY MESSAGE BOARD

Discount supermarket chain Aldi has announced plans for a new shop in Coventry – just yards from a rival supermarket.



Bosses have lined up a site in Shultern Lane, at Cannon Park, which is currently occupied by the Renault and Kia car dealerships, for their new store.

The site is around the corner from the current Tesco store at Cannon Park.

The plans are still at an early stage although Aldi – one of the fastest growing retailers in the country – has revealed that the car dealerships would be demolished to make way for the supermarket.

Bosses says it would create up to 40 full and part-time jobs and be the first discount supermarket in that area of Coventry.

The company, which already has three stores in Coventry at Walsgrave, Radford and Bell Green, says it will consult with residents and local businesses beforehand and will also issue an illustrated newsletter, which will provide further details about the plans and encourage residents to send their feedback to the project team.

Aldi hopes to submit a full planning application to Coventry City Council by the end of August.

A spokesman said: “We are excited about the prospect of bringing our award-winning range of products to this part of Coventry.

“We believe the site in Shultern Lane offers an excellent opportunity to deliver improved choice for local residents when completing their shopping, as there is currently no comparable discount retailer in this part of Coventry.

“As well as delivering a multi-million pound investment to the area, the new store will also provide up to 40 full and part-time jobs aimed at local people.

“We will consult with the community first to ensure that local views are heard before our plans are finalised. If people have any questions in the meantime they should call the project’s freephone information line on 0800 298 7040.”

Budget chains Aldi and Lidl are increasingly taking shoppers away from Britain's 'Big Four' supermarkets. Aldi in particular is one of the country's fastest growing retailers, growing its market share by more than a third in the past year.

Car dealership 'surprised and confused' by Aldi plan to build on its site at Cannon Park

Bosses at a car dealership in Coventry have told of their “confusion” over a supermarket’s plans to build a new store at Cannon Park.

Aldi say they are looking to open a new shop in the city and have lined up a spot in Shultern Lane where a dealership used by Renault, Kia and Fiat currently stands,as reported in the Telegraph.

The discount supermarket also stated that although a planning application is yet to be submitted, they would look to demolish the car showrooms.

However, Sutton Park Group, which runs the base for Renault, Kia and Fiat, said it is in fact in advanced talks to renew the lease on the land.

A statement on the Sutton Park Group website reads: “We wish to reassure both our loyal staff and customers that as the current tenant of the site at Shultern Lane in Coventry, we are surprised by this report.

“In accordance with our legal right to renew our lease, we have been in advanced negotiations with the landlord to do so and therefore find the plans somewhat confusing.

“We feel that the announcement by Aldi is premature as they have acknowledged that plans are still at an early stage and that a planning application has yet to be submitted.

“With the Tesco store adjacent to the site there is no guarantee that consent will be granted.”

Aldi store plan at Cannon Park will go before Coventry City Council bosses at meeting next week

Plans for a new supermarket in Cannon Park are set to move a step closer next week.

Discount supermarket chain Aldi wants to open a new store just yards from the existing Cannon Park Shopping Centre, dominated by rival chain Tesco.

The store is planned for the Shultern Lane-site currently occupied by car dealership Sutton Park Renault.

But now the dealership has applied to Coventry City Council to renew its lease for 125-years - with a clause allowing it to sublet the area for retail use for a period of 20 years.

A decision on the application will be made during a business cabinet meeting on Monday and, although any application for Aldi to open a new store would have to gain planning permission, it would be a major step towards the move.

Coun Kevin Maton, the council’s cabinet member for business, said: “On the face of it, it already appears to be a good business. But the owners, for whatever reason, want to vary the lease.

“The site is already in a district centre. I would be struggling to find a reason not to allow this.”

Aldi says the new store would create up to 50 full or part-time jobs.

New Cannon Park Aldi store moves a step closer

Plans for a new supermarket in Cannon Park have moved a step closer.

Discount supermarket chain Aldi wants to open a new store just yards from Cannon Park Shopping Centre, dominated by rival chain Tesco.

Aldi plans to open on Shultern Lane at the site currently occupied by car dealership Sutton Park Renault.

And the dealership has now successfully applied to Coventry City Council to renew its lease for 125 years – with a clause allowing it to sublet the site for retail use for 20 years.

The decision on the lease application was made during a business cabinet meeting on Monday and, although the plans still have to gain planning consent, it’s a big step towards the move.

Coun Kevin Maton, the council’s cabinet member for business, said: “The garage has been looking for alternative premises and they would have moved anyway.

“This move does not grant permission for the store, but it facilitates it. It will still be thoroughly debated by planning.”

A planning application has been submitted which would see the existing building demolished and replaced. Aldi says the store would create up to 50 jobs.

The fast-growing retailer also recently announced plans to double its workforce over the next eight years, including the creation of 700 new jobs at its headquarters in Atherstone.

Aldi's Canley plan for new store given go ahead

Plans to open an Aldi store on the site of a former car dealership in Canley have been given the go ahead by Coventry City Council.

The planning application had been submitted by German discount supermarket chain for new store near Cannon Park Shopping Centre, in Shultern Lane, Canley.

It was passed by the council’s Planning Committee yesterday.

Work on building the new store could begin this month after demolition takes place of the Sutton Park Renault car dealership which currently stands on the site.

The Telegraph previously reported that Sutton Park dealership had successfully applied to the council to renew its lease for 125 years. The lease contains a clause allowing the dealership to sublet the site for retail use for 20 years.

The application Aldi submitted to the council was for a retail food store which would measure 56 metres by 30.5 metres, with a height of 5.5 metres, providing a retail area of 1,254sqm.

Plans included a car park with 119 spaces. This would include six disabled spaces, two electrical vehicle charging points and 26 spaces for bikes.

The application saw opposition from Cannon Park Community Association who felt the land should be used to extend the cemetery. They also raised concerns that a new supermarket would increase congestion and noise pollution in the area.

Some 25 letters of support for the project were received by the council. The grounds for support included job creation and more choice for shoppers.

The conclusion of the committee in their public report supported the creation of the supermarket. The report read: “ The application is considered acceptable as it would comply with the National Planning Policy Framework by representing a sustainable form of development which would provide employment and economic investment in the area and improve the health of customers.”

The application was granted with various conditions. These included restricted opening hours. The store will only be allowed to trade between 8am and 10pm Monday to Saturday and 10am to 4pm on Sunday.

The supermarket giant has said that the opening of the store would create up to 50 jobs in the area.

Car dealership torn down to make way for new Aldi supermarket



A car dealership has been demolished to make way for a new Aldi supermarket in Coventry.

Work on the new supermarket, in Shultern Lane, Cannon Park, appears to be progressing rapidly after the Sutton Park Renault dealership building was demolished last week.

Diggers have now started to clear the debris in order to make way for the 1,254sq m store.

When finished, it will with measure 56 metres by 30.5 metres and reach a height of 5.5 metres.

Aldi was given permission for the supermarket and a 119-space car park back in May.

Restrictions on the site will include opening hours being restricted to between 8am and 10pm Monday to Saturday, and 10am to 4pm on Sunday.

The budget supermarket giant has said that the opening of the store would create up to 50 jobs in the area.

Aldi to open fourth store in Coventry



COVENTRY’S new Aldi store at Cannon Park shopping centre is set to open its doors for business tomorrow - with prizes on offer for the first 100 shoppers.

The Shultern Lane store , Aldi’s fourth in the city, opens on Thursday at 8am with a special golden ticket event.

And to add to the golden theme Matt Gotrel, who claimed a gold medal at the Rio 2016 Olympics as part of the men’s eight rowing team, will officially open the store as part of Aldi’s sponsorship of Team GB.

To celebrate the opening Aldi will be handing out golden envelopes to the first 100 people in the queue, with a host of prizes up for grabs.

They include a full HD smart TV, rugged mobile phones, A portable HD satellite Kit, steam mops and bags of shopping.

Representatives from Canley Community Centre will also be in attendance and taking part in the official ribbon cutting to open the new store.

The community centre is to receive a generous donation from the German supermarket chain to support its services to the local community.

Aldi will also mark the new store’s opening by donating a range of Mamia baby products to AJL Souls Church Baby and Toddler Group.

The 1,254sq m store has taken six months to build, has 119 parking spaces and has seen the creation of 45 jobs.

A number of positions are still up for grabs, including store manager and caretaker roles.

Go to http://www.aldirecruitment.co.uk if you are interested in applying.

Aldi Shultern Lane will feature around 1,500 product lines.

Store manager Nick Westhead said: “The team and I are looking forward to opening our fourth store in Coventry and I hope the local community will enjoy our golden ticket opening celebrations.

“We’ve got some great deals available on the morning of the opening, so we’re expecting a good turnout.”

Aldi’s Shultern Lane store will be open from 8am until 10pm Monday to Saturday and from 10am until 4pm on Sundays.