Plans for a new Aldi supermarket in Aberystwyth have received overwhelming backing from local residents following a public consultation.

A public survey into plans to build a new store on the former Kwik Save site along Park Avenue drew 1,363 responses, with 96.4 per cent backing the plans in principle.

An application has been lodged with Ceredigion County Council to build the supermarket after previous plans were rejected by the Welsh Government over flooding fears.

Aldi says the new store will create 40 jobs and will represent an investment of up to £7 million in the local area.

Aldi Aberystwyth
How the store would appear on the drive into Aberystwyth along Park Avenue (Aldi)

The survey also showed that 95.5 per cent of people agreed that a new Aldi would benefit the area and 92.7 per cent rated the design as either ‘great’ or ‘OK’.

Rob Jones, Aldi Real Estate Director, said: "We are delighted by the strength of support shown for our plans in Aberystwyth.

“The response from residents demonstrates a clear appetite for greater supermarket choice and easier access to Aldi's award-winning range of affordable, high-quality food.

"Our proposals would bring a long-vacant site back into productive use, create new jobs and provide a significant investment in Aberystwyth. We would like to thank everyone who took part in the consultation and took the time to share their views."

Aldi says believes the new store would strengthen Aberystwyth's role as a retail and service centre for surrounding rural communities.

It adds: “While the town already has a range of supermarkets, Aldi's arrival would bring additional competition and greater choice for shoppers, alongside its established reputation for low prices and high-quality products. “The company also argues that a new store could help households manage ongoing cost-of-living pressures by providing easier access to affordable groceries.”

The plans include 77 car parking spaces and eight electric vehicle charging points.

Plans for a standalone store on the site were approved by Ceredigion County Council in 2019, but the Welsh Government blocked them in 2022, over flooding fears, with the then Climate Change Minister, Julie James, saying: “The decision (to refuse planning permission) would prevent development being undertaken on a site at risk of flooding, where it has not been demonstrated the potential consequences of a flood event could be adequately managed.

“If the application was approved, the benefits in terms of supporting the objective of responding to the climate emergency may not be secured.”

Aldi says it has now addressed the flooding concerns that led to a previous application being rejected by the Welsh Government.

Speaking earlier this yearm Aldi said: “The proposals would see a new Aldi food store located on land at the Former Kwik Save Site off Park Avenue, enhancing the local retail landscape and providing a new use for a long-vacant brownfield site, which contributes nothing to the local economy.

“The site, which has stood vacant for over a decade, will be transformed to provide a modern discount food store representing a significant economic investment of £7 million in the area.”