A new budget supermarket is coming to Malmesbury.

Planning permission for an Aldi superstore on the site of Malmesbury Garden Centre on Crudwell Road was approved yesterday by 11 votes to 0 by Wiltshire Council’s Northern Area Planning Committee.

Councillors approved the application with conditions and subject to a S106 agreement.

An application for a Lidl superstore off the A429 bypass near Waitrose was looked at first during the meeting but was refused by 11 votes to 0.

Wiltshire Councillor for Malmesbury Gavin Grant said: “This is a good result for Malmesbury.

"Many residents wanted a discount retailer on the right site, not‎ breaking into open countryside.

“Now we also need a new garden centre and to create more, new jobs on the Nurdens site.

“Hopefully Aldi will also back our town team’s great work to attract visitors and residents to support our High Street.

The committee started off by detailing the report put together by case officer Lee Burman.

Having gone through the report, the chair of the committee put forward the case officer's recommendation to refuse the application, which was seconded.

Next the committee heard from six guest speakers, three for and three against the application.

Nicola Earl, who lives on Swindon Road submitted objections last year.

She said: “It will have an effect on my quality of life, with noise, light and pollution.”

Susan McGill, a Chippenham resident who has family in Malmesbury had concerns with transport, employment, poor access from the town centre and pollution.

However, Nigel Roberts, owner of the land Lidl wanted to build on, said he was approached by both supermarkets and chose Lidl as he felt there would have worked best with the town.

He said: “There is clearly a limited shopping provision in town, so I recognised Malmesbury does need a budget supermarket.

“I chose with Lidl after much consideration, as I feel they will work the best for the town.

”Lidl have created a fantastic design.

“I have offered to agree there will be no further development on the site in the nearby future.

Cllr John Gundry, of Malmesbury Parish Council, Cllr Roger Budgen of St. Paul Malmesbury Without Parish Council, Cllr Gavin Grant and Cllr John Thomson of Sherston Division all supported the recommendation of refusing the application.

Cllr Gundry and Cllr Thomson cited concerns with future development and highways safety.

An hour after the start of the meeting, and councillors unanimously backed the case officer's recommendation to refuse planning permission.

After a short break, the room again listened to case officer Lee Burman as he ran through the Aldi report.

That was followed by guest speakers, with Simon Glover, Aldi property director applicant delighted at the support of the application.

Cllr Budgen, Cllr Grant and Cllr Thomson all supported the application but raised issues with the highways report.

Councillors were worried about the idea of the bus stop being outside the site and on the A429, as well as the speed limit.

Cllr Thomson said: "I cannot see why a 40mph speed limit cannot be added."

"Me and Gavin can already see what will happen when the store is built and the bus is added, we will have residents demanding the speed limit is reduced."

Cllr Grant added: "Surely we cannot have what will inevitably occur what will happen when someone crosses the road from behind one of the buses."

The head of the committee addressed concerns.

"I think there is protection for the usage of the site.

"Regarding the S106 matter there is scope for a contribution to be made."

"The highways measure, various concerns, I am advised the conditions for a lower speed limits is not suitable."

"We should not be applying speed limits to support a development."

He then moved for the case officer's recommendation to approve the application.

And two hours later, councillors unanimously voted to approve the application with conditions subject to a S106 agreement.

Full the full report on the Aldi application, go to wiltshire.gov.uk