Felixstowe: No operator yet for new superstore – but it’s not Aldi
Land off Railway Approach in Felixstowe where a new 30,000sq ft superstore is to be built. - Credit: Archant
It could be months before the retailer who will operate a new superstore to be built in Felixstowe town centre will be announced.
It could be months before the retailer who will operate a new superstore to be built in Felixstowe town centre will be announced.
Rumours had been sweeping the town that Aldi could be the company involved in the scheme for land off Railway Approach after adverts appeared on the internet seeking managers for the company in Felixstowe.
However, Albourne Property, which has been granted planning permission for the town centre store, said Aldi were “absolutely not” involved as the 30,000sq ft store would be too big for the discount supermarket chain.
Aldi has since said the jobs advertised as being in Felixstowe were actually for its stores in Ipswich and Colchester, both within reasonable travelling time of Felixstowe.
Planning consultant David Prichard said the developers of the superstore were in negotiation with several major retailers over who might run it when it is built.
At the moment they were waiting for the formal issue of the planning consent from Suffolk Coastal before the next moves could be made.
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He said: “The council is currently completing the conditions which will be attached to the planning consent and being a major project we are expecting this to be an extensive list when finalised.
“At that stage the planning permission will be issued and we don’t expect that to be too far away.
“My clients will then assess the conditions to see what needs to be resolved and addressed and we will move the project forward.”
The company was also keeping a close eye on the situations with the two superstore applications which were refused – Tesco at Walton Green, and Asda at Haven Exchange – to see if either company will appeal or be considering other options.
The store, to be built on land at the rear of homes in High Road West between the Ipswich/Felixstowe rail line and Garrison Lane bridge, is programmed to take nine months to build. Before that decontamination work will take place to give the site, previously used for rail operations, a thorough health check.
The project will be a “store on stilts” with car parking benath the building and in front, where there will also be a transport interchange.
The shop will be at first floor level with travelators for shoppers and their trolleys.
