Plans for an Aldi store in Amersham appear to have been pushed back again following renewed environmental concerns about the proposed development site. 

The German-owned discount supermarket Aldi first announced plans to open a new store in Amersham in March 2021. 

In November 2022, a spokesperson for the store confirmed on Twitter that the store, which was proposed for construction at the site of the former Jaguar dealership between the A413 and A355 on 44 London Road West, was due to open in August 2023, adding that "the exact date will be confirmed closer to the time".

Last month, however, another Twitter user asked the company if there had been any updates on the Aldi in Amersham, to which a spokesperson for the supermarket responded: "We do not currently have any information on this store".

Since its proposal, the development has faced pushback from environmental authorities, chiefly for its site location which intersects with the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty on its south and east boundaries. 

Residents have submitted a mass of positive letters to the planning portal, however, with Sarah-Jayne Steer writing that it "would be a great addition to good value, quality shopping in the area".

Kevin Brown also shared his support for the proposal, which has not yet been officially approved or rejected by Buckinghamshire Council, writing that an Aldi on his doorstep would be "more convenient" than having to travel to High Wycombe to do his shopping. 

 

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The Environment Agency reiterated its objection to the proposed development earlier this year on the grounds that it would negatively impact the nearby River Misbourne, a designated priority habitat under the UK Biodiversity Action Plan. 

The Agency said that further assessment work needed to be taken by the developers, including an increase of on-site river units or an improvement of the off-site waterway. 

The council, acting in its role as Lead Local Flood Authority (LLFA), also objected to the proposal in May 2023, stating that insufficient assessments had been taken to understand the impact the store would have on the River Misbourne.

An initial Design and Access Statement uploaded by Aldi in 2021 acknowledged that "careful consideration" of the site's impact on the area would necessarily be taken by the planning authority.  

It added that the proposed development would be "well serviced by vehicle, public transport and pedestrian links" and "provide a chance to re-invigorate a prominent site and help maintain continued investment and jobs within the local area". 

Other opportunities that could result from the development of a new Aldi store in the area were the provision of a "discount food retail outlet for the community" and "maintaining a retail use of a brownfield site".