Two new supermarkets approved for same Rugeley street

Applications from Aldi and Lidl for two sites on Power Station Road, Rugeley, were approved by Cannock Chase Council’s planning committee.

Rugeley already has an Aldi branch in Market Street, but the company will move out of this store to the new site – which is currently a timber yard opposite the town’s Tesco branch- once it is completed, councillors were told.

Robin Williams, regional property director for Aldi, said “Aldi has been trading from the existing Rugeley store since 2001. While it remains popular, it is outdated and no longer meets standards. The current store is too small and compared to newer stores car parking provision is relatively poor.

“We came to the conclusion there were no suitable viable sites to meet our needs in the town centre. The new Aldi site will provide a significant improvement in environment on Power Station Road and the replacement store will be larger than the existing store.

”The new site allows our customers to make linked trips to Tesco and other stores and services in town. It will be of potential benefit to the town centre as a whole and provide more employment opportunities for local people.”

The Lidl store is earmarked for vacant land off Power Station Road to the south of the Aldi and Tesco stores, near the town’s McDonald's branch.

Nick Hardy, an agent who spoke in support of the Lidl application at Wednesday’s meeting, said the development would include a link from the new development on the former power station site to the town centre.

The former Rugeley Power Station is currently being demolished to make way for hundreds of new homes, a new school and employment space.

Mr Hardy said: “A strip of land 30m wide will be transferred to public ownership and will be used by (power station site owner) ENGIE to deliver a pedestrian and cycle link.

“The site itself will be simple and modern. The scheme will improve the appearance of the site and will also support up to 40 jobs.

“The application will provide a further discount food store for Rugeley, increasing consumer choice.”

Rival supermarket chains Tesco and Morrisons, which has a branch in Market Street, both objected to the two applications. They raised concerns about the size of the new stores and their impact on the town centre because of their location outside the boundary.

But a planning officers’ report said: “Whilst outside of the town centre boundary the store(s) would be located immediately abutting the town centre boundary.”

Rugeley councillor Alan Dudson said the areas where the new stores were to be built were currently eyesores. He added: “When these new stores are built they can only be an asset to the area.”

Councillor Adrienne Fitzgerald said: “I think this is great. It will offer an easier shopping option for people on the power station estate.

“I still think the town will be busy – there are lots of lovely shops in the town centre. I think this will be an asset and an improvement to the town.”