Aldi to come to Biddulph

Staffordshire County Council have accepted an offer from supermarket chain Aldi for the former Meadows Special School site on Tunstall Road.

An offer was made by Aldi Stores Limited in November which was increased in December. Minutes from a sub-committee meeting state: ‘The Sub-Committee received a report on discussions held with the proposed purchaser of the site of the former Meadows Special School explaining that whilst the site had not been advertised on the open market, the proposed Terms of the sale secured ancillary developments of value to the County Council.’ and that it was: ‘RESOLVED – That a conditional contract be entered into with Aldi Stores Limited for the sale of the site of the former Meadows Special School on the Terms indicated.’

Mark Deaville, Cabinet Member for Commercial at Staffordshire County Council confirmed that the Council had agreed a sale of the site to Aldi.  Mark said: “We welcome the opportunity for this particular site to be developed. As is typical with these kinds of developments, there now needs to be further work to develop the proposals to enable a planning consent to be submitted and then the contractual elements of the sale can be completed.”

The County Council has had discussions with different developers over a number of years regarding this site including another budget supermarket chain Lidl who had expressed a long term interest in opening a store in Biddulph.

The Council added that they are committed to supporting the delivery of the Staffordshire Moorlands local plan and the agreement to the sale of its land to Aldi that does just that whilst also providing enhanced local facilities and releasing the value of the land for the council to invest in its core services.