Twenty months after Aldi lodged its planning application to build a £5 million supermarket in Rye, it was approved by Rother District Council's (RDC) Planning Committee on Thursday 12 February.
RDC's planning division recommended approval of Aldi, with extensive conditions. In short, the recommendation was reached because the benefits of a second food store in Rye were judged to outweigh the disadvantages.
It will mean a huge shake-up of Rye's grocery business, which has long been dominated by independent operator Jempson's.
According to the planning report, benefits would include, "The provision of an anchor low-cost food store, which will provide residents an alternative option for food shopping as well as providing a supermarket option on Sunday which will also serve the local and wider population and support linked trips."
The downsides of the Aldi proposal would be a failure to provide B1 Class office space and an adverse impact on the vitality and viability of the town centre. However, the report says any loss of floorspace is amply compensated by a huge amount of additional space in Rye and Rye Harbour and there would be gains from employment, better use of the land and an annual £4.7 million boost to the local economy.
"On balance it is considered that the benefits of the proposal in this case would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the conflicts with the Development Plan".
Aldi will pay £49,950 to support existing bus services, £30,000 for local bus stop improvements and £15,000 to enhance the pedestrian route into central Rye. The firm would also improve the current site access junction onto the A259. This will include better "visibility splays" of 43 metres both sides.
Interestingly, RDC chose not to place two related planning applications for Decimus' 16 houses and McCarthy Stone's 43-unit retirement block on the Planning Committee agenda.
RDC reveals it received 329 public support comments, 35 objections and five general comments regarding the Aldi proposal. Rye Town Council has lodged no objection to the planning application.
Research suggests that the edge-of-centre Aldi store on the west side of Winchelsea Road will have the benefit of "clawing back convenience shoppers who are travelling out of the district". The supermarket's main catchment area is expected to be within a five-minute drive.
An independent report provided to RDC estimated that Jempson's central Rye supermarket could lose up to 37% of its turnover and the Class E(a) retail sector about 9%. But a reduction in "linked trips" could be mitigated by Aldi's agreement to offer two hours' free parking, which allows for linked trips to the town centre.
The RDC planning report concludes that while the second supermarket may have an impact on the vitality and viability of Rye town centre, it's not a significant impact. "Therefore....all other material considerations must be taken into account and balanced when determining the application."
It appears likely that the need for an alternate "food store offering" and greater choice (competition) in the sector may have been major factors in the planning assessment.
Aldi certainly did not enjoy an easy planning process. Major hurdles emerged in the form of flood management strategy and issues with National Highways over the site access junction and the safe and efficient operation of the A259. The German company was initially not keen to pay £49,950 to subsidise bus services but has now agreed to do so.
Aldi in Rye: the facts
Estimated build cost: £5 million
Build time: Two years
Site area: 0.9 ha
Gross external area: 1,951 sqm
Net sales area: 1,155 sqm
Employees: 50
Indirect employment: 26
Construction workers: 35
Economic impact: £2.3 million a year in direct gross value added (GVA); plus £2.4 million a year via indirect and induced employment
Two hours' free parking for customers
Parking spaces: 107
Electric vehicle charging spaces: 4
Rooftop solar panels: 80kWp