Work on Wigan's new Aldi store is getting under way just weeks after council approval
Only weeks after councillors gave it the nod, work on a new Aldi store close to Wigan town centre has begun.
Diggers have begun excavating the site close to the junction of Wallgate and Frith Street in preparation for the construction of the budget supermarket which is intended as a replacement for the one on nearby Scot Lane.
Plans and artist’s impressions show that the 2.7 acre site will contain a larger building than the current premises and more than 100 parking spaces, some of which are part of the huge B&Q car park behind.
The application, which was approved just before Christmas says that an extra 10 jobs will be created by the expanded business which involves a £7m investment.
Frith Street at one time was to have been part of the Wigan ring road but when Southgate was built instead, the first plan was mothballed and so the street has long remained a cul-de-sac.
Aldi, which also recently relocated a new Ashton store and has designs on opening one at Orrell, launched a consultation for residents last March asking for opinions on the upgrade.
The application read: “Aldi has operated in the Newtown area for a number of years at its Scot Lane store and therefore already have a dedicated customer base in the area.
"However, the existing food store, one of the smallest in the region, has an outdated layout and appearance that no longer meets the modern standards Aldi, or its customers expect.
“The Scot Lane store opened during the 1990s and is a ‘first generation’ Aldi store which means that it is now one of the older premises in their portfolio.”
It says that it underwent an extension in the late noughties at the expense of more than 20 parking spaces, adding; “Aldi have subsequently looked into improving the Scot Lane store’s provision as it does not lend itself
to their new ‘store of the future’ layout and design, and does not meet current customer requirements.
"Unfortunately, however, an extension or alteration to the existing store to meet current standards has not been possible due to land constraints.
“Aldi have resultingly been presented with the opportunity to relocate their store not far from the existing site, closer to Wigan town centre, which could accommodate a new ‘store of the future’ format, and which will better serve the area.”
There have been a number of planning applications lodged for this rather dowdy piece of scrubland which have come to nothing and planners were told: “the land’s redevelopment has the potential to bring about significant
economic, environmental, and visual improvements by replacing what is currently an empty prominent plot with a modern foodstore development.
"Such a scheme offers the potential to improve the appearance of this prominent site on a key vehicular route through Wigan, to the overall benefit of the surrounding area.”
An Aldi spokesperson said: “We will shortly begin construction of our new store in Wigan, and plan to open the store this year.
"This will create up to 10 jobs and enable local people to shop and save closer to home.”
A completion date has not been given.
It is presumed that once the business has transferred to Frith Street, the old store will close and the land put up for sale.