A LETTER sent to Stroud District Council by Dransfield Properties regarding the proposed ALDI plans says the company is in “advanced discussions” to buy Merrywalks Shopping Centre and is planning a £10 Million “overhaul”.

The letter was sent to the handling officer, John Chaplin on April 19, but wasn’t brought to the public’s attention until yesterday’s meeting.

A decision on the ALDI plans were deferred to the next meeting of the development control committee because of the letter from Dransfield.

Dransfield’s problem is that planning permission was already granted two years ago for an out of centre retail development at the Advocet site on Dudbridge Road, so granting the Bath Road project planning permission would give a second “planning ticket” to an out of centre site.

Financial worries that come with other retail competition is what is driving the opposition from Dransfield, as the property company says that town centre investment is “difficult enough in the current economic climate, without multiple out of centre sites being granted planning permission.”

The full letter is below.

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Dear Mr Chaplin,

Proposed Aldi Store, Bath Road Trading Estate, Stroud (Application ref. S.17/0557/FUL)

Objection by Dransfield Properties Ltd

Dransfield Properties Ltd are in advanced discussions to buy the Merrywalks Shopping Centre in Stroud town centre. Our intention is then to invest significantly in a comprehensive overhaul and reconfiguration of the centre, involving a further investment likely to be in excess of £10 million. Evidence of the standard and quality of investment we bring to shopping centre enhancement can be seen in our Sanderson Arcade scheme in Morpeth, and evidence of new town centre development in our Fox Valley scheme in Stocksbridge.

We are aware of the previous decision made by the council, against officer recommendation, to approve out of centre retail development on the Advocet site. With that scheme seeming unlikely to come forward in its permitted form it is not at all clear why the Aldi proposal at Bath Road would mean that a second out of centre site has a "planning ticket" on it, leaving the door open for revised proposals to come forward on the Advocet site.

Town centre investment of the type we want to make at the Merrywalks Shopping Centre is difficult enough in the current economic climate, without multiple out of centre sites being granted planning permission. We want to register our objection on this basis. Please can you communicate this to members, and ask that they make the common sense decision for the future of the town centre - to direct the Aldi proposal to the Advocet site, and help to create an environment whereby town centre investment can succeed.

Members should also be made aware that we will be writing seperately to object styrongly to the proposed retail park at Brunsdons Yard, which would be disastrous for the town centre, and kill off any prospect of investment there.

Yours Sincerely,

Mark Dransfield

Managing Director

Dransfield Properties Ltd