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.

However, the plans split the community with around 380 objections to the plans, as several councillors raised concerns that 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.

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