Image Source: Aldi
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Bridgend Council’s planning committee has approved a new Aldi supermarket on the outskirts of Brackla (pdf).
The application was first submitted in late 2023. Since then, it’s faced several delays, with a final/revised application submitted earlier this year.
The 2,000 sqm supermarket will be built on land accessed from the Ffordd Cadfan/Princess Way roundabout. 118 parking spaces will be provided, including at least 4 EV charging points and 8 cycle stands.
As part of the revised planning application, a £400,000 walking/cycling route will connect the Ffordd Cadfan roundabout to Main Avenue in Brackla Industrial Estate. This active travel route will tie in to the future Ysgol Bro Ogwr (which will be built directly to the north of Aldi).
Brackla Community Council supported the application in principle. However, they expressed concerns about the proposed store’s impact on traffic. This is in light of the Ysgol Bro Ogwr relocation and other housing developments proposed in the area.
Cllr John Spanswick (Lab, Brackla West Central) supported a Section 106 agreement to provide a bus service to the area.
There were four letters of objection from nearby residents in Ffordd Cadfan and Cae Cenydd. However, they were outnumbered by 65 letters of support submitted from residents in Brackla, Coity Higher and beyond.
Does Bridgend need another supermarket?
The most detailed formal objections to the Aldi proposal came from planning consultants working on behalf of two “well-known retail companies” – one of which has later been confirmed to be Tesco.
In the early 2000s, BCBC refused two separate planning applications from Tesco and the former Welsh Development Agency to build a supermarket on the land.
In summary, the retailer’s objections were:
- The land has been allocated for employment/business purposes in the Local Development Plan.
- Aldi’s retail statement has overestimated the amount of potential spending in the wider catchment area by £27 million.
- The Co-op and Morrisons Daily at Brackla Triangle – within 5 minutes of the catchment area – weren’t included in retail impact assessments.
- There needs to be a more detailed assessment of the impact on biodiversity (if you may recall, an unnamed reptile species has caused delays to the Ysgol Bro Ogwr project).
In response, planning officers and consultants (asked to verify the claims on the Council’s behalf) deemed the development to be acceptable – despite being on employment land – because there are no other suitable sites within the main catchment area.
Eight alternative sites were considered at the Pines, Parc Derwen and Bridgend town centre, but were deemed unsuitable for different reasons.
Also, the land has been vacant for several years. The only other interest has come from a housebuilder.
Officers did, however, agree that the site is poorly served by public transport, with the closest bus services calling at Parc Derwen (a good 500 metres away).
Diverting the 64 route (Bridgend – Talbot Green) via Princess Way has been considered, but this would cost £90,000 for three years.
Ultimately, officers recommended that the application be approved, subject to over 30 conditions and 7 recommendations.
At the time of posting, a video of the meeting hasn’t been uploaded. I’ve been reliably informed that the Planning Committee approved the application.
