The multi-million pound revamp of Aldi’s Sittingbourne store is back on the cards after news that the discount supermarket chain is soon to start work on a superstore on Sheppey.

Plans to knock down the 20-year-old branch in St Michael’s Road and replace it with a bigger building of 1,230 square metres - it is currently 1,040 sq m - were agreed by Swale councillors in December 2018.

Under the terms of the permission, work should begin by the end of this year.

An Aldi spokesman said: “We will close our Sittingbourne store in early 2022 to carry out refurbishment works. When we reopen by the autumn, the store will be in our new layout which ensures more space for fresh, chilled and food-to-go ranges.

"It will be much brighter with wider aisles and an increased parking provision for our customers. We will keep the community updated on developments.”

Bosses of the German-owned business told councillors they wanted to wait until their new store at Neats Court, Queenborough, was opened so Sittingbourne shoppers would have a nearby alternative to use.

Plans for the Sheppey store were signed off this month allowing work to begin shortly. That store will replace Aldi’s smaller supermarket in Sheerness which it says is no longer fit for purpose.

Aldi wants to expand its Sittingbourne branch, which backs on to East Street, by demolishing the existing structure and replacing it with a more modern building with extra car parking. It plans 113 spaces, including five disabled bays, five staff spaces and 10 parent and child bays. It currently has 75 spaces.

The new store will have windows on the front and side with grey metallic cladding in other areas. It will have wider aisles and be able to hold more products thanks to Aldi buying two extra parcels of land.

Access will still be from St Michael’s Road with pedestrian access from East Street.

Read more: All the latest news from Sittingbourne

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