Town councillors show support for new Aldi supermarket

A GERMAN retail giant Aldi’s plans for a major new supermarket in New Milton have won support from town councillors - with just one proviso about its lorry movements.

Members of the planning committee were giving their views on the proposal to construct a 1,860-square metre class A1 food store on land at Solent Industrial Estate in Caird Avenue.

If the New Milton Aldi scheme gets the go-ahead from New Forest District Council it will compete for shoppers’ attentions with the neighbouring Tesco superstore on the other side of the road .

The town council committee agreed to pass on a comment to NFDC that it found the proposed development, with car parking and landscaping, acceptable.

This comment included the caveat that this was subject to all HGVs entering Caird Avenue from the A337 Lymington Road only.

New Milton Residents’ Association chairman Alan Watson told the meeting there was general support for the application among the group.

As reported in the A&T, the project for a one-hectare (2.6-acre) plot east of Caird Avenue is expected to create up to 40 full and part-time jobs.

The access road to the new store, put forward for land currently owned by New Milton Sand and Ballast, would be opposite the Tesco car park, south of the roundabout.

Aldi would provide parking for 127 cars including five spaces for disabled drivers, plus two electric charging points. Opening hours would be 8am-10pm Monday-Saturday and 10am-5pm on Sundays.

NFDC is due to decide on the application by 1st January next year.