Aldi has submitted a planning application to Durham County Council for a new store in County Durham that will deliver a £6m investment.
The proposal site, on Mill Road, in Langley Moor, currently vacant, has lain dormant since 2019.
It was previously used to manufacture bespoke furniture and is currently allocated for employment uses.
However, extensive marketing for alternative employment uses since 2019 has found no viable interest.
Aldi is proposing to deliver a £6m investment to regenerate the site with a new discount food store, to improve local retail choice and bring this site back into productive use.
Many customers currently travel further afield to access other Aldi stores.
This includes stores at Dragonville Retail Park, North Durham Retail Park and Spennymoor.
This proposal offers an opportunity to meet this demand locally, reducing travel times, improving the sustainability of shopping trips and keeping spending within the local economy. T
he new store would also deliver up to 40 new full-time equivalent local jobs, paid at an industry leading rate of £11.40ph.
The scheme has attracted a significant level of local support during the public consultation in September; with 90 per cent of respondents expressing their support for the proposals.
Residents welcomed the proposals as an effective use of the site and recognised the improved competition and choice a new Aldi store would provide.
Residents also welcomed the investment in the local economy and jobs the proposals would deliver to Langley Moor.
A spokesperson for Aldi, said: “We are delighted to have submitted our plans for a new Aldi food store in Langley Moor.
Most read:
- Man arrested after arson at Vibe nightclub in Peterlee
- Maya Chappell LIVE: Court resumes for closing speeches
- Woman dies after falling from Marsden cliffs, South Shields
"We’d like to thank the community for their great level of engagement with our consultation, and the high level of support we have received throughout the consultation process.
“We’re looking forward to our plan being determined by Durham County Council. A new Aldi food store at this site would greatly improve the local retail offer, and deliver a great boost to the local economy, creating up to 40 new, full-time equivalent jobs for local people.”
Durham County Council will determine the application, with a decision expected to be made in the coming months.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here