Aldi plans slapped down after backlash from local businesses

Plans for a new Aldi in a Bromley village were smacked down last week after a backlash from local businesses.

The proposal would have seen the supermarket replace a Frankie and Benny’s restaurant, which used to occupy the site in Farnborough.

But council officers recommended the proposal be shot down, with councillors narrowly agreeing with them in a vote.

Their decision was met with applause from the public gallery after locals raised concerns about traffic and the shop being “incongruous” with the local area.

Businesses in Farnborough, which is based close to Orpington, warned against the “devastating impact” a major supermarket like Aldi would have in a small, village town.

In council documents, the owner of the local Nanny Smith’s Deli wrote: “I am the proprietor of the deli in the village. I sell fresh produce daily, including fresh bread, veg, fruit, as well as variety of other products.

“I am a new business in the village and trying to establish a viable asset and community deli/coffee shop within the village. If Aldi get approval, this will have a devastating impact on my new business. I object to Aldi’s plans.”

The owner of the long-serving Aambal Convenience Store, a local presence for more than a decade, also informed the council: “I have been trading for the last 11 years and I strongly object to the new Aldi store in the village. It will ruin the businesses in the village and create more traffic in the village.”

Aldi previously had plans deferred by the council in December, but returned with updated proposals last night.

A represententative for the supermarket told the meeting: “I hope you can agree that the scheme before you is different to what you saw previously. The key changes include the height of the building substantially reduced [and] the introduction of material being more in keeping with the area.

“We addressed all the points you previously raised and noticed many local residents also welcomed these changes.

“We’re obviously extremely disappointed that officers continue to advise rejecting this considerable investment to the local area. Their grounds are highly subjective and not supported by evidence.”

Council officers say in their report they had concerns over this being an “overdevelopment” and the site having “poor accessibility to public transport”.

Glenn Robinson, of the Farnborough Village Residents group, hit out at proposals.

He told the council chamber: “We will be severely affected by this application. We are grateful that committee members decided to see for themselves the potential enormity of the proximity of this development bearing down on small village homes.

“We are understandably emotional about the devastation that this incongruous, disproportionate and inappropriate development will bring.”

Ward councillors Christopher Marlow and Charles Joel also made clear their opposition to the scheme.

The proposal was rejected by seven votes to six.