PLANS to build a new Aldi in Keynsham must take care not to disrupt traffic on the A4, a local councillor has warned.
The budget supermarket chain has received strong support for its plans to build a new shop on the east side of the town – but concerns have been raised about the impact on the busy A4 Bath Road.
Although cars will be able to enter the car park from the A4, the only exit will be to the back onto World’s End Lane opposite Keynsham Recycling Centre.
Keynsham East councillor Andy Wait (Liberal Democrat) wrote in response to the application: “I think the community of Keynsham and Saltford will welcome a new store on this site to further enhance the retail development of the town. My only concern is the traffic flow around the site.”
World’s End Lane is meant to be a right turn only onto Pixash Lane, but the road marking is widely ignored.
Mr Wait said: “With the expected extra traffic along there caused by the new store, there needs to be a lot more enforcement of this no-left-turn restriction as otherwise the traffic on the A4 will be disrupted.”
The council’s highways department had called for Aldi to remove the turning into the car park from the A4 from their plans and for the shop to only be accessed from World’s End Lane.
Highways officers warned: “The A4 corridor is heavily used by children travelling to/from school and can also experience peak hour traffic congestion.”
The no left turn on World’s End Lane means traffic should follow Ashmead Road to the Broadmead Roundabout by Waitrose. But, in an objection to the plans, Helen Mulholland warned: “This does not make sense as traffic would still need to rejoin the A4 at some point.”
But she was one of just 14 people who lodged objections to the plan on the council’s planning portal while 186 lodged comments in support.
Keith Strover said: “This new store will alleviate the overwhelmed Tesco store where parking is impossible at peak times.”
Marjorie Phillips added: “It’s about time that we had an affordable supermarket in this area. As pensioners we are unable to afford to shop at our local supermarket Waitrose.
“Aldi is our regular supermarket where we shop each week but we have to drive over to Longwell Green for the privilege.”
Many responses, however, used a boilerplate letter of support. Objecting, Mr C McVie warned: “This repetition raises concerns about the authenticity of these comments and whether they genuinely reflect the views of individual local residents.”
The planning application was submitted in July last year and Bath and North East Somerset Council is due to make a decision by December 15.
In its planning application, Aldi said: “The provision of a discount food retail outlet will provide a valuable service to the local community, enhancing consumer choice.
“A new development will provide new full-time jobs at the store and employment opportunities during its construction.”
The new supermarket is just one chapter in the story of the town’s expansion to the east. Housing association Curo is building more than 200 homes on fields on the other side of the A4 from the proposed supermarket.
John Wimperis, Local Democracy Reporting Service
Aldi’s Keynsham store plan sparks A4 concerns
