Further details on the plans to build a new Aldi supermarket in Waterlooville, have been revealed in planning documents submitted to the council.
The supermarket giant is proposing to build a £7 million supermarket on land next to Keydell Nurseries in Horndean, which will create 40 new jobs – suitable for elderly and part-time workers, said the planning report.
The 1,154 square metre supermarket’s internal shop space will have its own access road off Havant Road and 100 car parking spaces, including six accessible and 10 parent and child spaces. There will be cycle stands and four electric car charging points, with infrastructure that will allow 20 more charging points in the future, said planning documents.
The site on Havant Road, which will also be landscaped to reduce its visibility and impact on its surroundings, is on land owned by Keydell Nurseries. The garden centre itself will not change as part of Aldi’s plans and will remain open to customers throughout.
Before settling on Keydell, the supermarket retailer looked for alternative sites in Horndean, Clanfield, Rowlands Castle, Havant town centre, Waterlooville town centre and Emsworth, said the planning statement report by Avison Young.
Before Aldi Stores Limited submitted the planning application to East Hampshire District Council, the supermarket held a pre-application consultation with residents to give them the chance to find out more.
Matthias Daly, Aldi real estate director, said: “During our consultation in November, we received 176 responses, with 62 per cent of respondents feeling that a new Aldi store would benefit the local area. We are delighted with the support shown so far and are committed to continued engagement with the local community and the council.”
Planning documents said opening hours are Monday to Saturday 8am to 10pm, and Sunday and bank holidays 10am to 4pm. Car park lighting will be turned off between 11pm and 7am.
The building will be a modern blending into its surroundings with olive green cladding panels on the exterior walls, and a combination of black smooth brickwork and wood using red cedar, caramel oak, Italian walnut or similar. The roof will feature aluminium profiled roofing panels and photovoltaic panels will be mounted on the store roof.
The site will also have stainless steel cycle hoops, block paving, concrete, tarmacadam and stainless steel bollards.
The design and access statement said the area between the B2149, Dell Piece East Road, the houses on the east of Havant Road, and the South Downs National Park, is planned for development. It includes a new residential area of up to 700 new homes with a care village, new community facilities including a primary school, shops and allotments with land for industrial and business use.
The statement also said: “The building will be modest in size so as not to obstruct the view of the ancient woodland, and its scale at street level will be similar to the adjacent residential properties.”
Fuller’s Distribution Centre is nearby, as is the A3 from Havant to London. The site is next to the Redcroft Row Woodland SINC, a site of importance for nature conservation and 400 metres from the South Downs National Park boundary.
The council will now carry out its own consultation, and plans can be viewed at: aldiconsultation.co.uk/horndean.
Planning officers will decide on the application, reference EHDC-25-0020-FUL, by May 1.