Budget supermarket chain Aldi has revealed its plans for a new store after announcing its intention to leave a town centre.

The German-owned company has submitted a full planning application to Swale council for a "new and improved" store to be built opposite Neats Court Retail Park in Queenborough.

It will replace its existing store in Millennium Way, Sheerness.

In its application, the firm said: "There is an existing Aldi food store located in Sheerness, which is too small for Aldi's current requirements.

"Aldi has considered various options to try and improve and enhance the existing store in Sheerness, including both store extension and complete redevelopment.

"However, the site is simply too small to accommodate a larger store, and extension is not possible as it is bounded on all sides by the existing road network.

"Therefore, Aldi has concluded, the most appropriate solution to bring the store up to modern requirements in this instance is relocation."

It added the existing store was dated, having opened in 2005, and was 23% smaller than Aldi's newest stores.

"As a result, the store no longer reflects the company's latest and most up-to-date operational requirements and principles," it said.

The firm says the benefits of a new store, which would be built just yards away from its Regional Distribution Centre and next to the proposed site for Medichem's new factory, would include an "enhanced shopping experience for customers", such as an extended and redesigned store layout.

Another benefit would be the retention of up to 50 jobs and the creation of new jobs in store and during the construction stage, it added.

Aldi revealed its intentions to close its Sheerness store and open a larger branch at Queenborough in June last year.

It distributed over 3,000 leaflets, outlining the plans, to homes in Sheerness, near Neats Court and in the Sheerness store.

It said 674 forms had been completed and feedback for the proposals was encouraging, however there was concern from some Sheerness residents as they do not want to lose the existing store.

A spokesman said: "We understand that some Sheerness residents would like to continue shopping closer to home, but we would like to improve Aldi's offer on the Isle of Sheppey and as the existing store is one of the smaller Aldi stores in the country, it does not offer the space and facilities found in newer Aldi stores."

The company anticipates the new store would open in 2021, if the plans are approved.

To view or comment on the proposals, click here and search for 19/502969/FULL

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