ALDI wants to extend its Wollaston store onto green space owned by Dudley Council.

The discount supermarket has lodged an application to extend the store on Bridgnorth Road onto part of the Dell Open Space at the rear of the popular store, which it intends to buy from the council.

The land, off cul-de-sac The Dell, has been used for children to play on since the homes were built in the 1960s.

Notes to planners state the store "trades very well, but is significantly compromised by its small size which means there is a lack of customer circulation space and an inability to stock product in sufficient depth to ensure that stock lasts between deliveries.

"ALDI is proposing to extend the store to improve the shopping experience for its customers and to allow its product range to be stocked in greater depth."

Stourbridge News: the proposed extension to the left (shaded area) the proposed extension to the left (shaded area) (Image: STOAS architects ltd)

A previous bid to extend the store in 2008/2009 was refused by the council and an appeal was dismissed by the planning inspectorate.

Notes state that "since then, the popularity of the store has further improved, reinforcing the need to extend the existing store so as to deliver an improved shopping environment to meet the needs of ALDI’s customers."

Two objections have already been lodged, one from a resident of Cobden Street who states: "In 2008 they applied for a 6 metre extension and the Secretary of State vetoed it. Nothing has changed, except perhaps DMBC's willingness to sell the site.

"I am sure that, when the Dell estate was originally developed, there would have been covenants/conditions that the open space should be kept as such, for the enjoyment of the residents and their children."

They go on to say: "Has any one considered the disruption that this extension will cause to all the neighbours during its construction, particularly as a retaining wall is required together with a certain amount of levelling and it will mostly have to be constructed from the Dell side."

They also complain about external lights being left on during the night and large refrigerated delivery lorries left running for similar long in the early hours.

Stourbridge News: The supermarket wants to buy part of the Dell Open Space from Dudley Council The supermarket wants to buy part of the Dell Open Space from Dudley Council (Image: Google)

The existing carpark, which contains 86 spaces including 5 disabled, 9 parent and child spaces, will remain unchanged.

Noes to planners state: "The proposed extension does not give rise to any need for additional car or cycle parking and there is no proposal to amend the existing access.

"The principal purpose of the extension is to improve the shopping experience for existing customers."

They state that the extension will be single-storey with a flat roof to reduce the impact on neighbours in King Street, The Dell and Cobden Street and that "the extension will allow ALDI to meet the needs of its customers which is not possible in the correct store due to its small size."

The proposal is for Aldi to use approximately 466m² of the open space to the rear to extend the existing 850 m² store "so as to meet customer needs."

The application can be found on Dudley Council's planning website under ref P23/1265.