Supermarket chain Aldi is seeking planning permission to increase the size of its store in Alloa.

The company wants to add more sales space, alter some of the layout and make changes to improve the sustainability credentials of the store, reducing its carbon footprint.

The plans involve an extension to the front and side of the existing Whins Road store, adding an additional 408 square metres of floor space, of which 251 square metres will be sales area.

A new customer entrance and exit lobby will be created at the south west of the store, and there will be new shopfront glazing facing south towards the car park, which will be reconfigured to relocate the accessible and parent & child spaces, adding three additional spaces and providing four spaces with electric vehicle charging points.

Aldi also wants to install six air source heat pumps and upgrade existing store plant with new, more sustainable equipment.

In a statement submitted to Clackmannanshire Council as part of its planning application, Aldi says it is continually reviewing its operations across its Scottish portfolio and has identified the need to extend the Alloa store. 

It goes on: “Aldi is already well established at Whins Road, and intends to make further investment at this location to improve retail offering, improve operational efficiency and futureproof its operation in this part of Clackmannanshire. 

“The proposals for a modest extension to the existing store represent Aldi’s continued commitment to investment in this area.”

Aldi had already been granted planning permission in October 2021 for an extension to its Alloa store, but has decided against going ahead with those plans and is instead bringing forward new proposals for “a more appropriate development”.

It has decided the previous layout is now prohibitively costly to deliver, and, as such, a revised planning application is required “to ensure a more appropriate design can be delivered on the site, which will also provide a more appropriate customer offer”.

The previous plans would also have seen the loss of 28 trees from the site. Aldi’s new plans would only require the removal of one tree.