Supermarket wars as Tesco bids for site next to Aldi

Aldi is currently waiting on the result of a planning application filed in February for The Bike School on London Road, Devizes.

The German retailer and its development partner PRZM Real Estate have asked Wiltshire Council for permission to build a £10 million, 1,800 square metre store, and a drive-through coffee shop, on the strip of land which runs alongside the A361 London Road.

The application has yet to be decided.

But over the weekend, a surprise bid emerged from British retail rival Tesco for a site right next door.

As well as the supermarket, Robert Cort Properties also wants to build a DIY store and Starbucks drive-through on the land.

A public consultation webinar will be held at 7pm on Thursday, July 2, followed by in-person event being held at Devizes Corn Exchange on Tuesday, July 7 from 1pm until 7.30pm.

"The plans remain at an early stage, and a public consultation will give local residents and businesses the opportunity to view the proposals and provide feedback before a planning application is submitted to Wiltshire Council," said the developer.

Jonathan Skull, managing director of Robert Cort Properties, said: “At its heart, this is about more jobs, better choice, and less travel for local people.

“We believe this is a strong opportunity to bring forward practical investment for Devizes on a site long intended for commercial development.

“The proposals are focused on uses that serve local needs, while also creating new jobs and increasing choice for residents in and around Devizes.

"We are still developing the plans, and it is important to us that local people have the opportunity to help shape the proposals before any application is submitted. We look forward to hearing residents’ feedback over the next few weeks.”

Lee Nicoll, acquisition manager at Tesco, said: “Devizes is an important and growing market town and we are pleased to be working alongside Robert Cort Properties as these proposals are developed further.

“We know many residents currently travel elsewhere for larger food shopping trips, so these proposals are about improving choice closer to home and providing a modern, accessible store for local people and the surrounding area.”

And around the same time, fast food giant McDonalds announced it wanted to move onto the former London Road filling station site, which is next to the development sites.

The site includes car sales and a hand car wash business, which are still operating.

If both the Aldi and Tesco planning applications are granted, it would mean two rival supermarkets operating next door to each other.

The triangular parcel of land that Robert Cort Properties wants to develop is in different ownership from The Bike School.

The site was the subject of a 2022 planning application by Berkeley Group to establish an industrial estate - Moonraker Park - with 25,000 sqm of warehousing and commercial property.

Planning permission was refused by Wiltshire Council in 2023 before being granted at appeal in 2024.

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Bishops Cannings Parish Council, within whose boundary the site lies, said: "The Parish Council is aware that leaflets have been delivered to properties across the parish announcing a public consultation for proposed development at Moonrakers Park.

"The leaflets describe proposals for various commercial developments, including Tesco. This has yet to be submitted as a formal planning application to Wiltshire Council.

"The Parish Council will be in touch with the developer, mindful that this proposal would lie within the parish of Bishops Cannings."