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Plans to build new Aldi supermarket on King's Road car park in Herne Bay submitted to council

12:00, 05 June 2014

Plans to build a new Aldi supermarket on the King’s Road car park site have finally been submitted to Canterbury City Council, paving the way for the £50 million regeneration of Herne Bay.

Coplan Estates, the regeneration experts behind the project, say the application was submitted on Tuesday this week, eight months after it was first announced in October last year.

The new Aldi store will be built in King's Road
The new Aldi store will be built in King's Road

They had to wait while the Saturday market was moved into its new home in Mortimer Street and William Street.

Coplan Estates director Colin McQueston said: “I’m delighted we have now reached this point. This has taken a long time to get to.

Coplan Estates director Colin McQueston
Coplan Estates director Colin McQueston

“We are now hoping for a planning decision by the end of August. We can then target phase one to begin by the end of this year.”

The first phase of the regeneration masterplan will be to build the Aldi supermarket in King’s Road, to become the anchor for the second phase to redevelop the William Street car park.

Coplan hope to build a new town centre plaza with major high street chains opening in the new shops and cafes.

How the new William Street car park may look after phase two of the £50 million redevelopment
How the new William Street car park may look after phase two of the £50 million redevelopment

Mr McQueston added: “We are now working on phase two. We hope to submit a planning application in six to eight months time.”

Plans for the regeneration project first emerged in October 2010, with the council pinning its hopes on Morrisons expanding onto the King’s Road site.

It hit a setback when Morrison’s withdrew from the plans. Aldi then stepped in to keep the project alive in October 2013.

Workers tested the soil below the site last month, prompting fears Aldi could pull out. Pic from www.hernebaymatters.com
Workers tested the soil below the site last month, prompting fears Aldi could pull out. Pic from www.hernebaymatters.com

But last month fears were raised by community campaigner Phil Rose when workmen were seen carrying out tests on the soil below the car park. The site used to be a gas works, so there were fears Aldi might pull out.

Coplan and Aldi denied that there were problems, and added that the workmen were carrying out tests for the future foundations of the store.

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