THANK you for your paper being so swift in getting the news to your readership on the planning committee decision on Aldi in Stroud.

Firstly, could you just slightly correct what I was quoting as saying?

This is in respect of traders I spoke to at the Shambles market two.

For those who are not aware of this Friday market, which appears to have gone on forever in Stroud, it is a market that has a great variety of stalls ranging from a wonderful second hand stall of furniture, china and everything you need in your house, run by some dedicated women, likewise a WI stall which sells handmade cakes jams etc.

There is a cheese stall, two vegetable and fruit stalls, these are critical for Stroud, as the last vegetable shop in town has now closed, a fishmongers who sells very fresh fish, plus an inside market that has a great selection of stalls.

The correction for what the fishmonger said: “I can earn in two hours in Bath what it takes me to earn in two days in Stroud.”

The words were of ‘two days’ which were are significant for it clearly shows how critical it is to preserve the town centre without another supermarket lowering the footfall further.

At the meeting both Stonehouse and Nailsworth town councillors spoke in the same vein of the financial threat of yet another supermarket, on their towns.

I have received criticism which has been aimed at those councillors who voted for the refusal of the Aldi application.

It is worth saying that the planning committee, has a quasi judicial function as a body, which has to adhere to both central government policy together the recent adopted Local Plan policy.

When considering a supermarket application, the brand, whether it is Waitrose or Aldi, is not a planning application that they should consider.

The aspects that are applicable are increased traffic volume, the impact on the vitality of the surrounding towns, together with the site itself.

In this case the site is of class B use - key employment sites which here equates quite a lot of engineering production.

Putting a supermarket there would negate any potential of redeveloping of that site for new workshops.

What I hasten to add is that this country desperately need skilled jobs to help keep our faltering economy.

There is a certain irony to this story, as a couple of years ago, Stroud District Council, gave permission for a supermarket on the Avocet Industrial Estate along on the Dudbridge Road.

Negotiations, I am told are progressing between officers and Lidl company on that site.

It would seem that both German companies are at loggerhead on supermarkets!

John Marjoram

Stroud district councillor (Trinity, Green)