Aldi to open new supermarket in one of UK's most expensive towns as locals fight back

After a long-standing battle, plans for an store near a notorious Surrey junction have finally been approved following an appeal. The proposed site on Alexandra Road in Epsom had faced repeated rejections since 2015 due to its location. The Planning Inspectorate has now conditionally overturned the second application, initially dismissed in July 2024, citing that measures to promote pedestrian access to the store could alleviate concerns.

Aldi has been granted a three-year window to commence construction at the Alexandra Road location before the planning permission expires. Epsom and Ewell Borough Council members had previously rejected the German retailer's application, with the highlighting worries over the potential surge in traffic and worsening issues as a result.

Epsom is one of the UK's most expensive towns outside of Greater London, with average of around £568,581 over the past year, according to Rightmove. The new application for the £5m development includes car parking and some landscaping but plans for residential units have been scrapped.

Local residents and councillors had condemned the proposal, arguing it would worsen conditions at an already "dangerous" and "challenging junction" known as a "rat run".

Despite these concerns, Surrey Highways did not oppose the project, believing it wouldn't pose unacceptable hazards.

The planning inspector acknowledged that the new Aldi would likely increase issues between pedestrians and vehicles but insisted that "additional measures to encourage drivers to slow down and take extra care would help to mitigate these increased risks".

The decision statement reads: "At the end of the day, nearly all collisions are the result of human error.

"In this case the lack of an obvious pattern of collisions suggests that there are not significant problems with the layout which could easily be addressed by engineering interventions."

The conditions of the new Aldi scheme in Epsom, which are subject to full agreement by Surrey Highways Authority, includes improving access to the site for pedestrians, as well as installing new signage at the junction as well as anti-skid surfacing to improve conditions for motorists in the area.