A new £7m Aldi store in Wigan has been given the green light in face of fears for indie shops

Councillors on Wigan’s planning committee voted for approval of the scheme where the vacant Abbey Lakes Hall hotel complex currently stands in Orrell.

The store chain can now demolish the buildings on Orrell Road and replace them with a 17,500 sq ft store, internal access roads and parking for 107 cars.

Aldi will contribute £30,831 towards the cost of a new pedestrian crossing on Orrell Road to boost road safety and £4,079 towards a travel plan for employees.

The plan was approved despite an argument from Dan Ingram, from planning consultant Stantec, representing rival store Co-Op, that the new supermarket would negatively impact the local centres of Orrell and Up Holland.

He said the Co-Op did not fear the prospect of competition from Aldi, but that the new store would have an “unacceptable trade draw” on the two local centres.

Mr Ingram also alluded to the fact that the site is in the green belt, although it was previously developed.

However, Bryn Richards, Aldi’s real estate director, countered that the scheme represented a £7m investment in the area, would result in 40 new jobs and would create an “affordable, high-quality food outlet”.

“It’s a bespoke design for Orrell with strong public support,” he told the committee.

Some 30 representations in favour of the proposal had been submitted to Wigan Council, with 13 objections.

Coun Ann Collins said: “I’ve considered this and I can see the pros and quite a few cons.

“There is going to be job creation and a new pedestrian crossing. I know the area well. But in my estimation, there’s a risk of the loss of wildlife habitat. It’s close to a lake that’s been there for a couple of hundred years and the area is in the green belt.

“There could be an increase in HGV traffic, and the thing that’s concerning me is the loss of trade to local shops, like independent butchers and bakers that exist within a two-mile radius of this development.”

Coun Stuart Gerrard agreed, saying: “I can’t support this because I know the effect it will have on independent traders in the area.

“Also, people will go to Aldi in their cars and it will create congestion in the area.”

Proposing acceptance of the plan, Coun John Harding said that it was often that there were more public responses in favour of a planning application than against.

“This is previously developed land,” he said. “Mr Ingram said the Co-op is not bothered about the competition, and, in fact, they welcome it. And I am not totally convinced by the argument that there will be an ‘unacceptable draw’ away from local centres.

“It could equally have a positive effect by attracting more people. There will be 40 new jobs and a new pedestrian crossing on a busy road.”

Coun David Hurst agreed with him. He said: “I do think it’s needed in this area. There isn’t a supermarket close by.”

On the green belt issue, he mentioned the hard-standing surface that would remain if the development did not go ahead.

The committee approved the application by eight votes to two.