New supermarket approved despite village objections

Plans to build a new Aldi supermarket on a former car showroom site in a Surrey village have been approved.

Elmbridge Borough Council's planning committee voted to grant permission for the food store on Portsmouth Road, Thames Ditton, clearing the way for a £7m investment in the village.

Councillors tried to reject the scheme over traffic concerns and the impact on the surrounding area, but did not get a majority, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Councillor Laurence Wells said the scheme would improve the outlook for nearby Westfield residents, who would now see "a green wall and native hedging" instead of the current site.

The proposed store, mainly single storey, will include 48 car parking spaces, cycle parking, landscaping and a new pedestrian crossing, as well as the green wall and hedging.

The plans received 472 letters in support and 384 objections, as several councillors raised concerns the development would increase traffic and change the character of the area.

Councillor Neil Houston said the issue was "not simply the building itself but the level of activity that this introduces", warning it could "urbanise the local area".

Planning permission was granted subject to conditions, including a requirement for a management plan for the green wall before the store opens.

An Aldi spokesperson said the development would be a "bespoke food store on a longstanding commercial site".

They also said the design had been significantly scaled back compared with a previous proposal that was rejected on appeal, including a reduced building height.

Clarification 13 March: This article has been amended to include that there were 472 submissions in favour of the planning application. We have also updated to say that there were 384 submissions against.

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