Battle of the supermarkets - last minute masterplan for new food store, drive-through coffee chain and 50 houses submitted at land opposite Aldi

A developer has come forward with an 11th hour masterplan to create a huge regeneration project of the Daniels Industrial Estate in Dudbridge.

Hunter Page Planning’s vision includes plans for another large supermarket, a drive-through coffee shop and up to 50 new houses.

The rival supermarket would be located directly opposite the Bath Road Estate where Aldi wants to build its new store – leaving the two application in direct opposition.

The fresh proposal will cause a serious headache for planners at Stroud District Council and add a whole new dimension to their decision on Tuesday.

Paul Fong, managing director of Hunter Page Planning, said his development should be given the green light over Aldi.

But he added he could not yet reveal which supermarket or coffee chain would be brought to Stroud.

“This is something we’ve had in the pipeline for many months,” he told the SNJ.

“We see this as a great opportunity to regenerate a key employment area in Stroud and want to give the council a choice in the market.

“I cannot yet confirm which retailer and supermarket it is, but both are ready to go if we get the go ahead.

“We see a lot of problems with the Aldi development. From our point of view we hope the application is rejected.

“I don’t think the Bath Road estate is the right place for a retail site and it’s clearly flies in the face of the recently adopted Stroud District Local Plan.

“They say they will create 50 jobs but the fact of the matter if that they will be forcing other small scale local business away.

“Unlike the Bath Road Trading Estate, our proposal for the Daniels Industrial Estate is on a site that is identified in the Local Plan for regeneration.

“We are in detailed discussions with retailers about this site who will create a suitable regeneration of the site and provide for the outstanding retail needs of the town.

“Planners at Stroud District Council have a very big decision to make next Tuesday.

“I know we’ve thrown a spanner in the works here – but that’s planning for you.”

While the two rival proposals clearly come at loggerheads, Mr Fong said there was a possibility both supermarkets could go ahead.

“I see no reason the two could not exist side by side,” he said.

“Even if Aldi is granted permission next week we will still proceed.

“Nonetheless, I hope the employment policies of the local plan prevail. It would be a real shame to ride roughshod over the Plan’s decisions.”

While Mr Fong said he could not reveal the name of the supermarket, he did confirm it was a well-known brand.

Likewise, he maintained he could not specify the end user of the coffee drive through café – but confirmed that it was a “Starbucks or Costa” type chain.

Hunter Page was behind the Asda planning application for the same estate in April last year in which the council had the choice of three supermarket sites in Stroud.

On that occasion the Daniels Estate was overlooked, paving the way for Aldi’s planning application at Bath Road.

But now they have returned with another rival outline planning application and are hoping to upset Aldi’s plans.

This time the supermarket on site would be much smaller than the previous application – at 2,120sqm.

There would also be space for 212 cars and initial estimates suggest the development would create 96 jobs for the area.

If both went ahead the two supermarkets would only be separated by Dudbridge Road.

Both sites also lie just half a mile from Sainsbury’s.

Meningitis Now’s office on the Daniels Trading Estate would be retained on site.

But the other two companies – including Ermin Plant Hire - would be relocated to new premises so that the empty industrial buildings could be demolished.

Mr Fong said the landlord was willing to relocate and that planning permission would be sought to create new offices and buildings for them in Eastington.

He added that the 50 homes would be sold to housing developers when completed, and that 30 per cent would be made available as ‘affordable housing’.

The development would create dozens of jobs for the area.

SDC’s Development Control Committee are due to make a decision at Ebley Mill on Tuesday, October 25.

Visit the council’s planning website and search S.16/2152/OUT for further information.