FURTHER objections have been lodged over plans for a new Aldi store in Cleckheaton - with two rival chains now against the scheme.
Aldi wants to build a new 1,315 sq m discount foodstore on part of the former Cleckheaton Mills site on Bradford Road.
Bradford-based Morrisons, which has its own store in nearby Heckmondwike, opposed the plans last month.
But representatives for the firm have now sent more details of its concerns, including suggesting a better alternative site in Heckmondwike.
In addition a developer hoping to bring Lidl and B&M stores to another edge of town centre site has also objected to Aldi's plans.
This letter outlines how they are currently in discussion over the Westex Flooring site at Castle Mills at the northern edge of Cleckheaton town centre.
"The site presents an opportunity to deliver a new Lidl foodstore and a B&M Homestore," the letter, which does not currently name the developer due to being redacted before being published on Kirklees Council's planning section of its website.
"The site is located at the edge of the town centre boundary as defined by the Kirklees Local Plan and within 300m of the town centre’s defined Primary Shopping Area. It is therefore an edge of centre site for retail development. It is also an accessible site that is well-connected to the town centre.
"By comparison, the site subject to the application is in excess of 750m from the Primary Shopping Area. It is therefore an out of centre site.
"It follows that the Castle Mills site is an available edge of centre site that is suitable for foodstore development. It is sequentially preferable site to the Cleckheaton Mills site, meaning that the application at that site fails to satisfy the sequential test as required by planning policy."
The latest Morrisons letter states: "In our view, there are potentially sequential preferable sites available and the impact of the proposal on Cleckheaton and Heckmondwike town centres could be significantly adverse given the loss of footfall in the town centres. The National Planning Policy Framework and the local development plan are very clear that where an application is likely to have significant adverse impact on town centres, it should be refused."
It goes on to state the the Aldi site is700-800 metres from the primary shopping area in Cleckheaton and therefore not within walking distance.
Instead they suggest an alternative site in Heckmondwike, described as on the edge of the town centre.
"The site has a full frontage on to Union Street and direct access. The site is currently being advertised 'to let' ... and is listed as a 5,182 sq m unit with 60 car parking spaces. The site therefore appears to be available and suitable for the proposed development.
"By moving to this sequentially preferable location; the footfall between the proposed Aldi store, ... and the town centre would be retained and even enhanced by an improved and enlarged town centre retail offer."
The Aldi plans themselves are to create a single storey building in a "contemporary modern style" by using large shopfront glazing with a minimalist canopy line. Materials include silver and anthracite coloured horizontally laid cladding panels.
A design and access statement accompanying the application states that the site is in a prominent position along Bradford Road and is easily accessible, providing “an ideal opportunity for retail led development to serve the local expanding community of Cleckheaton”.
It adds that an Aldi store is a "modest scale supermarket often fulfilling a neighbourhood shopping role".
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