High Peak council defers decision on new Aldi in Harpur Hill due to concerns over store's size and impact

High Peak Borough Council has deferred any decision on plans to build a new Aldi supermarket, nursery and retail units in Harpur Hill after questions were raised over the size of the store, its impact on road traffic and other concerns.
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The development control committee met on Monday, September 13, and heard from council officers recommending the planning application (HPK/2021/0145) be approved for land on the A515 Ashbourne Road at Foxlow Farm.

Instead, councillors agreed to delay any final decision to seek additional information from the applicant and relevant authorities.

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Councillor Emily Thrane, the Conservative member for the neighbouring Temple ward, made the case for deferral and led the committee to a unanimous decision.

Land at Foxlow Farm which could be used for retail development. (Image: Google)Land at Foxlow Farm which could be used for retail development. (Image: Google)
Land at Foxlow Farm which could be used for retail development. (Image: Google)

Speaking afterwards, she said: “I think it would be helpful for council officers to have further discussions with Aldi over the size of the store. It is not the local centre we all thought would be a good idea.

“I’m very happy with Aldi, it’s a great supermarket and a very welcome presence in Buxton, I just think a store of this size in this location is not best for the town.”

She added: “We felt there are also more questions to be asked of Derbyshire County Council, as the highways authority, about its analysis of the transport implications.

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“The timeline for any final decision very much depends on these discussions but as a council we like to move with appropriate speed.”

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If built, the new Aldi would replace its existing premises on Station Road in Buxton, a change which caused Labour councillor Jean Todd to voice reservations after the meeting.

She said: “A lot of people living on the northern side of Buxton will lose easy access to a discount supermarket, Aldi has specified that no large convenience store will be permitted to take on the premises, and we would lose a lot of footfall making the town centre less viable.

“At the new site, it will increase traffic where it’s already bad, and there are no green measures to offset biodiversity loss or its impact on the views from Fox Low hill and the barrow which is classed as an ancient monument.”

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