When will work start on new Warrington Aldi shop at Gemini

Aldi is set to build its latest shop in the town in Gemini, on the site of the former Arnold Clark showroom on Europa Boulevard.

Plans for the new store were officially submitted to Warrington Borough Council’s planning department in April.

The car dealership announced its intention to vacate its old site in January 2020, and it has since moved across the road into the former Toys’R’Us unit.

Aldi has now applied to the council to determine whether prior approval is needed to demolish buildings at the site.

It is hoping to begin work to demolish the former showroom and outbuildings on the site on Halloween, with demolition proposed to be complete by mid-December.

The demolition process would take place between 8am and 6pm between Mondays and Fridays, as well as from 8am to 1pm on Saturdays, but no work on Sundays.

Aldi currently has four stores across Warrington – in Stockton Heath, the town centre, Birchwood and Orford.

Plans aim to demolish the existing buildings and build a new supermarket, as well as creating vehicular access, car parking and associated works.

According to planning documents, among Aldi’s ‘design principles’ for the site are to ‘visually enhance the approach along Europa Boulevard by developing this prominent site in an appropriate way’.

The new Aldi is proposed for the old Arnold Clark showroom on Europa Boulevard (Image: Google Maps)

Moreover, it aims to create a safe and convenient customer car park, improve pedestrian access and to create job opportunities for the local area, employing local contractors and labour during the construction of the store.

Documents add: “An Aldi store is a modest scale supermarket, often fulfilling a neighbourhood shopping role as well as attracting customers from the surrounding area.

“Aldi’s customers generally use other shops and stores as well as Aldi in order to fulfil their grocery shopping and local service needs.

“Aldi is therefore complementary to the existing pattern of trading, both in existing local and town centre shopping areas, as well as working on outskirts of towns.

The scheme proposes 125 car parking spaces, nine parent and child spaces, eight disabled spaces, 14 cycle spaces, four electric vehicle charging spaces and six motorcycle spaces.

Aldi previously said that the proposal would create up to 40 new full and part-time jobs at the store alone – which will be paid at an ‘industry-leading’ rate of £10.10 per hour as a minimum.

There would also be further employment opportunities during construction and via the supply chain.

An Aldi spokesman previously commented: “Aldi is aware that there is lack of discount supermarket options for residents in the local area and that many customers in the local area currently travel further afield for their weekly shop.

“This proposal would provide an attractive, modern Aldi food store in a convenient and accessible location for the residents of north Warrington, improving customer choice and reducing travel times.”