Aldi plans for Egremont are still on hold due to concerns around the store’s impact on traffic in the area.
The budget supermarket chain is aiming to obtain permission to build a new supermarket on the site of the former East Road Garage in Egremont, next to the A595.
It initially lodged a planning application with Cumberland Council earlier this year – but has since faced requests to provide more details on how the new store would impact traffic in the area.
National Highways is recommending that planning permission for the new store should not be approved until October 17 – to allow Aldi extra time to examine the potential safety and congestion impacts of the store on the A595.
Cumberland Council’s highways team have flagged several areas for further examination – including car parking provision, bike provision and pedestrian access from the A595 underpass.
Highways additionally flagged that Aldi’s initial transport assessment has not been modelled around the ‘very heavy’ traffic that the roundabout currently experiences at peak times during the day.
It said that the roundabout and its links can be at or near capacity at certain times during the day and that the current transport assessment has only accounted for an uplifted 2024 scenario that would work with minimal queueing.
The plans have now been on hold for most of the year – which prompted concerns from townsfolk that Aldi were looking at other sites for a new store in Whitehaven, rather than Egremont.
But Aldi said earlier this year it remained committed to both towns and is working on both plans for an improved, larger store in Whitehaven and a new store in Egremont simultaneously.
If plans are approved by Cumberland Council – who make the final decision on the application – the new Aldi will be a £6 million investment into the area and will provide a total of 40 full-time and part-time jobs.
Egremont Town Council has also responded to the plans and said it was in overall support of the new business and that it would be an asset to the town.
The town council added that it would additionally expect Aldi to adopt the town’s underpass and keep it clean, safe and well lit.
