Strong objections voiced against plans to build a new Aldi supermarket in Horndean

‘Long suffering’ Gales Park Residents living on the estate next to Keydell Nursery have said they ‘absolutely object’ to plans by the discount supermarket to build a store to the south of the nursery and garden centre which will have its own entrance off Havant Road.

As previously reported by The News, Aldi has submitted a planning application to East Hampshire District Council seeking permission to build the £7million store, sparking a period of public consultation. It will create 40 new jobs.

In their objections residents say building work will disrupt the otherwise peaceful village environment, impacting the wildlife that inhabit the land at the front of Keydell Nursery, such as foxes, birds and other wildlife.

“YOU are only interested in making money,” the campaigners have said to Aldi.

Residents say they are are already adversely impacted by traffic on the busy Havant Road which leads out towards the A3(M) as well as by inconsiderate Keydell customers which they fear will only worsen as a result.

In their objection they said: “Havant road that runs through it is a very built up area and struggles to support the current level of traffic, and traffic from a supermarket will only compound the already daily issue where traffic queues to and from the Dell Piece roundabout.

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“Customers to Keydell already dump cars on the surrounding areas, mainly weekends causing extensive levels of frustration from residents unable to access their own property.”

It urged the company to look at other empty units which are already built, though both Aldi and Lidl have both recently rejected suggestions of taking over the empty Waitrose store in Waterlooville. Instead Lidl has planning permission to build a store next to the Havant B&Q while Aldi has permission to build a store off Elettra Avenue in Waterlooville - oppose the existing Lidl store.

“We understand we are only residents and probably don’t have the power over a large supermarket chain to stop this going ahead but we will do everything in our power to stop this,” the residents have said.

The 1,154 square metre supermarket’s internal shop space will have its own access road off Havant Road and 100 car parking spaces, including six accessible and 10 parent and child spaces. There will be cycle stands and four electric car charging points, with infrastructure that will allow 20 more charging points in the future, said planning documents.

Planning documents said opening hours are Monday to Saturday 8am to 10pm, and Sunday and bank holidays 10am to 4pm. Car park lighting will be turned off between 11pm and 7am.

To contact the residents group email [email protected] and view Aldi’s plans visit aldiconsultation.co.uk/horndean.

To formally comment on the plans visit East Hampshire District Council’s planning portal using application reference EHDC-25-0020-FUL by May 1, 2025.