Concern mounted in the run-up to Christmas as the site remained silent. There was no sign of the promised development which would have seen the store up and running by the end of the March 2019.

Cllr Ian Shires along with his Lib Dem Focus Team colleague Stuart Hodges acted promptly to the concerns and lack of any information off ALDI. As a result demolition work began on site a couple of weeks ago and ALDI confirmed their commitment to getting the store open by September of this year.

In the past couple of weeks ALDI have submitted more planning applications to Walsall Council.  One of these applications was a request to remove conditions imposed in the original application for ‘Secure by Design’. What follows are ALDI’s reasons for wanting to do this. Planning Officers will deliberate on this and issue a decision:-

“ALDI wish to remove this condition due to it being too restrictive and unnecessary. ALDI, being a major international retailer, has a very in depth knowledge of security and necessary procedures to secure it’s stores to ensure minimal loss of stock, loss of cash or risk to people (staff and public). Some of the requirements of this condition, based on Secured by Design guidance only, will undermine tried and tested systems already in place which would in turn reduce the security of the store. In the previously submitted Design and Access Statement, ALDI gives their commitment to the Secured By Design principals and in the main the points raised in this condition are covered.”

The full statement can be found on the council’s website:- http://planning.walsall.gov.uk/swift/apas/run/wphappcriteria.display The Planning Application Number is 19/0052