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MP accuses Aldi of ‘unacceptable’ U-turn on Coulsdon parking

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Coulsdon residents are preparing for another battle over parking provision in their district centre, fighting against a scheme which the local MP has described as an “unacceptable proposal”.

Parking problems: Aldi has done a U-turn over their promise to Coulsdon

Just four years ago, Aldi was granted planning permission for their large supermarket on the Brighton Road, but only if they provided car parking space for the community to use – permanently.

The original report by a council official recommending granting permission to build the supermarket included a car park management scheme that allowed all-comers, and which would be “… retained for as long as the development remains in existence”.

But now the German-based retailer has submitted an application to Croydon Council to make their car park exclusive to their own customers.

Businesses and locals who use Coulsdon have been grumbling for a while now over the loss of parking spaces in what was the council-run Lion Green Road car park – the site given over to a Brick by Brick housing development.

In 2019, the new Aldi’s car park was supposed to provide alternative parking in Coulsdon, but that small triumph of local planning is now under threat from the demands of big business.

Chris Philp is the Conservative Government minister and MP for Croydon South who has a home in Coulsdon. He has written to constituents encouraging them to submit objections to the Aldi proposals to Croydon’s planning department.

“When Aldi was originally given planning consent for their Coulsdon branch, one of the conditions included that the car park could be used by everyone – not just those using their store – for as long as the development remains there,” Philp said.

“Aldi’s new unacceptable proposal seeks to renege on that commitment. To make matters worse, Aldi’s proposal would mean that those who park at Aldi but do not shop and input their car registration at the store would be issued with fines.”

Clear objections: MP Chris Philp is leading complaints about Aldi’s changes on Coulsdon parking

And Philp continued: “Car parking capacity is much needed in Coulsdon – to support local businesses and make it easier for people to visit shops and other facilities – so I have written to Croydon Council in the strongest possible terms to object to ALDI’s proposal.

“It is vital that the car park remains open to all members of the public

Philp’s objection letter to the council planners quotes from the original, approved planning application: “The secondary objective is to provide short-term parking for non-customers such as those visiting nearby shops and facilities.”

The new application from Aldi, Philp says, “would be completely at odds with this”.

Philp also reminds the planners that Coulsdon’s influential residents’ associations only agreed to support the original Aldi planning application “on the understanding that there would be parking facilities for non-customers of the store”.

Philp describes Aldi’s latest application as “a complete about-turn”. Politicians probably can’t bring themselves to write the term “U-turn”.

Philp is encouraging residents to object to Aldi’s proposal, either by visiting the council planning portal by clicking here, or email development.management@croydon.gov.uk and quote the 23/02665/CONR reference number.

Read more: Perry’s parking proposal to impose smartphone apps on drivers


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