A CRUNCH planning decision on whether Stroud will have a new ALDI is due to be made next Tuesday, October 25.

Stroud District Council’s Development Control Committee will meet at Ebley Mill to make a final decision on the polarizing planning application.

The 12 councilors will decide on whether to allow the German giant build a large new store in Bath Road Trading Estate in Dudbridge.

It wants to create a new a super market in a large section of the north of the site, which the company says will create 50 jobs for the area.

Ahead of the meeting, Aldi released a statement saying the overwhelming majority of people in Stroud they had surveyed had been in favor of the new budget super market.

It claimed over 75 per cent of local people who responded to the consultation confirmed they would welcome an ALDI in their neighbourhood.

A spokesperson for the company said: “We are pleased to have support from many local people who would like easier access to ALDI’s high quality, low cost offer.

“As one residents said, Stroud needs a store for the real people, those who work hard and earn little, and the new store would make life easier for them.

“ALDI stores are a modest size and we are confident that our store would trade well on the proposed site, bring benefits to neighbouring business as our investment funds improvements to the estate and helps to attract new businesses, better accommodate existing businesses and bring more customers to the area.

“We know many people currently travel to Gloucester and beyond to shop at ALDI, and the opening of a new store would encourage people to shop closer to home, on the Bath Road Trading Estate.”

The development would see a number of the existing buildings demolished to make way for the new 1,254sqm store.

ALDI would also make improvement to access off the A46.

A proposed car park will provide 124 car parking spaces that includes eight parent and child spaces and four designated spaces for blue badge users.

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However, with Sainsbury’s only half a mile away from the site and the demolition required to make way, the plans have generated a mixed response.

Many also argue Stroud doesn’t need another large supermarket and that the store will mean more traffic along an already busy A46.

There are also fears the development on the trading estate could force existing businesses to relocate, meaning the loss of high-skilled jobs from the district.

Rodborough Parish Council has warned the development could cause displacement and disruption to many of the long-established businesses there.

Stonehouse Town Council has objected to the application, raising concerns that it would have a negative impact on Stonehouse's local retail economy, as well as the rest of the district.

Nailsworth Town Council has also objected, saying that while the out-of-town development could bring in jobs, overall it would lead to a net loss of employment at the site.

The number of objections and supporting comments on the council’s planning website are fairly evenly divided.

The nearest Aldi is currently located in Bristol Road, Quedgeley.