Business, Eco & Environment, Wimborne | Posted on October 1st, 2024 | return to news
Locals fight back against Aldi’s plans for Colehill near Wimborne
Aldi has filed a planning application to build a new store next to Canford Bottom roundabout, attracting complaints from the community.
Discount retailer Aldi officially filed a planning application in September to build a new store next to Canford Bottom roundabout in Colehill.
Aldi intends to develop a new store on the site of Elford Accident and Repair Centre. The supermarket chain claims the development will create 40 new jobs and invest £7m into the local economy.
However, the development has raised concerns. Canford Bottom roundabout is on the busy A31 and is used by drivers and commuters travelling between Ferndown and Wimborne and Colehill. Local residents fear that building an Aldi in this spot will attract even more traffic to these already congested roads.
The public was able to review the application and leave comments either in support or objecting to the development. Several of the public comments did not object to the store itself but to its location by the busy roundabout. In one comment, Julie Riggs of Kinson, who commutes to Colehill via the roundabout, said: “It is far too close to the Canford Bottom roundabout which is total chaos at the best of times.
“Also the planned entrance is on a blind bend, it is an accident waiting to happen.”
Fortunately for concerned residents, National Highways has recommended rejecting planning permission for at least six months due to concerns about Aldi’s plans. Specifically, the agency says the entrance runs the risk of causing collisions and injury, as well as creating gridlock back onto the A31 roundabout junction.
In September, a local group, ALDI Location Declared Inappropriate @ Canford Bottom, placed signs around the roundabout to inform motorists about the application and how to register their objections.
A spokesperson for the group said: “There is an acknowledgement that an Aldi store would be welcome in the East Dorset area, however, the choice of a small area of industrial and green belt next to the Canford Bottom roundabout is, for a variety of reasons not a good location.”
The group’s concerns include:
- Close proximity of the entrance to the site to the busy roundabout will lead to increased levels of traffic, increased frustration and increased accidents. National Highways are also concerned about this issue; 1600 additional vehicle movements a day will do nothing to improve the already congested roundabout.
- The entrance and pedestrian crossing being so close to a sharp bend in the road.
- The safety of pedestrians and cyclists both around the entrance and within the proposed car park itself.
- Vehicles wishing to turn right out of the car park would be challenged crossing three lanes of traffic and a pedestrian crossing.
- No consideration has been given to local residents regarding the access to their own drives.
- There are no alternative parking facilities for visitors if the car park is full.
- Loss of a significant number of mature trees which provide a barrier between local residents and the A31 and roundabout.
- Loss of one of the few remaining green belt areas in Colehill – there is no mandate to use green belt for retail purposes.
- Increase in air pollution in the area.
- Increase in anti-social behaviour known by the police to be linked to empty supermarket car parks at night.
- Impact on the mental health and safety of local residents during and after potential construction.
The spokesperson added: “We have urged Dorset Council to work with Aldi to find a better location that would alleviate the concerns raised above and look at utilising this area near to Canford Bottom roundabout for something less impactful on the community.”
Residents have until 4 October to submit comments and make their objections known via the council’s website.
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Years ago, a supermarket was planed for the then wimborne timber site. but then we got jewsons. Wimborne needs a low cost store.Not all of us want the likes of overpriced waitrose.The traffic problem was caused by the council not allowing a duel carriageway for the bypass,thus ending the planned folkestone to Honiton relief road….