PLANS for a Waitrose in Moreton-in-Marsh have been shelved with budget grocer Aldi eyeing up the site instead.

Planning permission was granted in 2013 for a supermarket with parking on the former site of the Fosseway Farm caravan park, to the north of the North Cotswold Hospital.

Waitrose had initially shown an interest but now says it no longer wants to progress with the plan.

Instead, a leaflet from Aldi has been sent to 2,000 residents asking for their thoughts on the supermarket coming to their town instead.

The proposed store is described as a neighbourhood shop with a sales area of 1,254 square metres, 100 parking

spaces, cycle stands and easy access for pedestrians.

The proposal is only two thirds of the size of the store considered previously as the original planning application featured a potential store up to 2.736 square metres.

Aldi is also promising up to 50 new jobs for the area and says it will complement other local shops and services.

The company will submit a planning application to Cotswold District Council later this year and says it will look to open the store as soon as possible.

An Aldi spokesman said: "Aldi would like to open a new store in Moreton-in-Marsh to make it easier for local people to shop and save with Aldi.

"As well as improving local shopping choice with an award winning retail offer, the store will create many new jobs.

"Before submitting a planning application we would like to know what local people think of the plans.

"The initial feedback has been very encouraging, with local people telling us they would welcome a competitively priced grocery store in Moreton-in-Marsh."

The nearest Aldi is currently Banbury Road in Chipping Norton.

A spokesman for Waitrose said: "We did look at it but we are not progressing that one.

"We are refocusing our capital expenditure on existing stores rather than new stores.

"We would hope we could bring Waitrose a little bit closer in the future but we are not able to progress at this time."

The supermarket giant currently does not have a presence in the Cotswolds with the nearest stores at Cheltenham, Witney and Stratford-upon-Avon.

Feedback for the Aldi store can be emailed to aldimoretoninmarsh@planningpotential.co.uk or you can call 020 7357 8000.