RESIDENTS are fuming after discovering supermarket chain Aldi is looking to expand its Wollaston store by building on a play area at the end of their street.

People living in quiet cul-de-sac The Dell are reportedly furious at the plan which would take away their green space for children to play on which has been widely used for 50 years since their homes were built in the 1960s.

Resident Diane Mace, aged 70, said: “None of us want it. There’s a lot of hostility towards it. Our children and grandchildren have used the play area. It’s been really useful for the kids."

She said residents were invited to meet individually with Aldi bosses at a meeting in the village on July 26 to find out more but she said a number of people were unable to get appointments.

A spokesman for the discount supermarket chain said: “Aldi is in the early stages of looking to extend the Wollaston store to bring it in line with other stores in the area.

"The extension we are exploring would take up less than 25 per cent of the land at the end of The Dell, which has historically been used for recreational purposes.

“Last month Aldi met with local residents to understand how the proposals might affect them and to hear residents’ views on what Aldi could do to improve the area.

"This is the first stage in a long process of community consultation and Aldi is determined to listen carefully to the views of all local residents and take them into account before progressing with the proposals.”

It’s not the first time the supermarket giant has angered local residents. Back in 2008 after opening its Bridgnorth Road store - bosses submitted a plan to build on the land to create extra space for their new store but it was thrown out by Dudley Council planners and a subsequent appeal to the Planning Inspectorate was dismissed.

Diane said: "They applied for a six-metre extension in 2008 and the Secretary of State vetoed it - and now they want 13-metres.

“If they have to come up our street to start building this road is not big enough for that.”

Wollaston councillor Nic Barlow said villagers had contacted him with concerns about the repeat plan, which has not been submitted to Dudley Council at this stage.

Residents have also started a petition. As well as worries about the loss of open space, they also fear the development would be too close to homes in The Dell and King Street.

Dudley Council, which owns the land, says the site has been declared surplus and a spokesman added: “We are seeking expressions of interest for the land. We have had no formal offers.”