Huge rebuild planned for Kettering supermarket

Aldi has submitted plans to knock down its store at the Kettering Retail Park in Carina Road, as well as the Bensons for Beds unit next door which they have bought.

It would then rebuild its supermarket on the site - increasing from 760 sq m to 1268 sq m in the process.

A planning statement submitted by the chain, the UK’s fifth-biggest supermarket, said the project would bring the store in line with their modern shops.

The statement said: “The purpose of the proposed knock down and rebuild of the Aldi store is to provide a new store that meets the current operational requirements of that retailer.

“The existing store is one of the first generation Aldi stores in the UK, reflecting the operator’s standards at the time when it was built.

“However the quality of the shopper experience and efficiency of operation at this store have eroded over time, in the context of ever-changing consumer expectations and the highly competitive UK retail environment.”

The plans admit the store will still be “substantially” smaller than the Tesco Extra, the retail park’s flagship store.

It added that the rebuild will end the days of a “cramped” shopping environment.

The statement said: “Current stores built by Aldi are larger, to provide customers with a more spacious store layout, with improved product displays, additional check outs and facilities such as customer toilet.

“However, in line with the essential trading ethos of a limited line discount retailer, the range and number of goods sold within every Aldi store is consistent and changes to the retail offer over time have been relatively modest. “The existing Aldi store carries the full range of Aldi goods available in every store, albeit in a relatively cramped shopping environment compared to the new stores that Aldi builds.”

The existing park car park will also be re-configured and landscaped outside the new store.

It’s expected that the new store will create five further full-time jobs.

Aldi opened a second store in the town in 2015.