Aldi applies to expand its Newbury car park in London Road

SHOPPERS at Newbury's Aldi store in London Road could have more spaces to park in if plans are approved.

The German retailer has applied to demolish neighbouring York House to expand its car park from 64 spaces to 85.

Aldi said that the store, built in 2013, had proven very successful, but is on "a very tight site with customer parking numbers and vehicle circulation space below current standards."

It said that trade had increased at the store and that customers spent longer there, both of which contributed to increased pressure on the store and car park.

The company said it was upgrading its estate to meet customer expectations and shopping habits and the extension was required to "improve efficiency and operations at the store, relieve parking pressures, and provide better shopping facilities for its customers."

The 85 spaces will keep the number of disabled spaces at four and child parking spaces at six. Two click and collect spaces will be added, along with four electric vehicle charging bays and infrastructure for the conversion of a further 16.

Access to York House from London Road will be removed and a single storey extension will be added to the front of the store to increase the retail area from 960 sq m to 1,235 sq m.

Aldi said this would improve customer choice, as well as adding a new customer toilet with disabled access and improving the efficiency and sustainability of the store refrigeration and heating system.

It said that the proposed extension was unlikely to increase customer numbers at the store as "a large majority of the local population are already aware of Aldi’s business model, the London Road store, and its product offer."

Traffic levels would intensify and the "modest increase" in retail sale area was unlikely to require additional deliveries to the store.

Aldi said: "The site is beneficial to the vitality and vibrancy of the town centre, as well as benefitting from extensive transport links and being easily accessible by pedestrians, public transport and bicycle.

"With the inclusion of the neighbouring site, it is possible to continue trading at this location, and bring about the changes needed to ensure the store is sustainable, fit for purpose, and can continue contributing economic activity to this central location."