New Aldi store to create 50 jobs in Shrewsbury

The 20,000 sq ft food store will be built by the Battlefield roundabout.

Developer Maximus Aequus Ltd had originally submitted plans for a hotel, coffee store, pub restaurant and industrial unit for the site. But the company was approached by Aldi’s retained commercial property consultant Nick Smith, of Lamb & Swift, who identified the site’s potential for a new food store, and the supermarket giant has purchased the site unconditionally for an undisclosed sum.

Jon Hickton, managing director of Maximus Aequus, said: “This is a gateway site to Shrewsbury and a very prominent location at the northern entrance of the town and so it very much matches Aldi’s requirements.”

The site is allocated for commercial development in the Shropshire Council Local Plan. There is already a successful development on the north side of the Battlefield roundabout which is home to a Starbucks, Two Henrys restaurant, a Burger King and Travelodge hotel.

In late September 2021, Aldi announced plans to open 100 new stores, involving investment of £1.3 billion and the creation of 4,000 jobs by the end of 2021.

The announcement came as the supermarket reported that sales grew by eight per cent to £12.28 billion in 2019 with pre-tax profits jumping by 49 per cent to £271.5 million. Aldi has long term plans to grow to a portfolio of 1,200 stores in the UK by 2025.

Mr Hickton added: “We are delighted to have concluded a deal with Aldi that helps them towards their long term goals and will also help deliver the Shropshire Council’s vision for business development and employment in these challenging economic conditions.”

Maximus is also currently working on plans for a £400 million development of 2,000 homes on 430 acres to the north of Stafford after securing planning permission earlier in 2020.