Aldi to bring judicial review challenge over refusal of permission for store

Discount food retailer Aldi is to seek a judicial review of Cheshire East Council’s decision to refuse planning permission for a new store in Crewe, claiming that it was tainted by ‘apparent bias’.

The planning application to develop the store at University Way was refused by councillors of the Southern Planning Committee by 5 to 4 on 28 November.

The retailer said its claims would focus on the “apparent bias” of the committee in allowing an independent councillor, Bernice Walmsley, to speak and vote against the proposal.

Aldi said that Walmsley was a director of the Skills & Growth Company, which had already objected to the planning application separately.

George Brown, Property Director for Aldi, said: “We are deeply disappointed that we must file for a judicial review concerning this application. We believe that our application was not given a fair hearing and we are confident that this decision will be overturned.

“Aldi received an enormous amount of support from the communities around Crewe and Crewe Green and we’d like to thank everyone who has expressed their positive opinions to those councillors on the Southern Planning Committee – we are very concerned that these voices were simply ignored when reaching this flawed decision.

“Aldi is confident that we will be successful in the judicial review, and we will seek to recover the significant costs from Cheshire East Council.”

A Cheshire East spokesperson said: “The applicants Aldi are seeking permission for judicial review of the decision and the council will be defending the claim.”

Cllr Walmsley told the Crewe Chronicle: “My objection to the application was based on the Local Plan. It goes against the Local Plan so I wasn’t in favour of it.”