
The VWHDC (Vale of White Horse District Council) planning committee unanimously approved the application for an Aldi store on the Wootton Road.
Abingdon-on-Thames Town Council supported the application as did local councillors speaking at the meeting. 290 people wrote in supporting the application. 13 were against.
The main advantage to locals is a large store nearer north Abingdon and Whitecross and Wootton, which should cut down on the need to travel, and could cut down on traffic round Abingdon.
The main concerns were cycling and access. The current cycle path is used by school children coming from Wootton, and area, and will not be expanded to the recommended width for such a development. The cycle path will also be impeded by the new store junctions. The right turn out of the store could also cause queues.
Councillor Jenny Hannaby said this development does mean a change of policy for VWHDC who in recent years have ensured new supermarkets were built in town centres, not out of town, for reasons of town centre vitality. The empty Peacock store in Abingdon town centre could be expanded to 929 sq.m (currently 738 sq.m). The new Aldi is 1,315 sq.m.