Construction Begins for New Aldi in Bracknell

Work has begun on a new Aldi at the former Homebase on Western Road, Bracknell.

Construction crews and digging vehicles have been spotted at the site. Drone photos by Styles Views show extensive earthworks in the car park and the right-hand section of the building Aldi will occupy.

Plans first emerged last year when Aldi applied to lift a ban on food sales and split the Homebase unit to make space for the supermarket and another tenant. Both moves were recently approved by Bracknell Forest Council.

Aldi has appointed DSP Group to carry out works that include changes to the car park layout, a service area and a new second entrance.

Lidl objected, with agents CarneySweeney saying Lidl had picked a 'sequentially superior' site nearer the town centre. The objection noted food sales were banned when Homebase was approved because a supermarket was considered 'incompatible' with the area.

In June, early-stage plans emerged for Lidl to replace The Point in Skimped Hill Lane, a site left vacant after Pizza Hut, Odeon and Hollywood Bowl closed last year.

The council's planning department appears to have sided with Aldi: the amendment to allow food was approved by Jo Male on Thursday, August 6, and details were approved on August 7.

The site's environmental and logistics plan by DSP Group states: "Construction of the proposed Aldi Store is planned to be undertaken in two phases: "Phase 1: The removal of services and any demolition and stripping out, which is expected to take eight weeks. "Phase 2: The main construction works will begin once the phase to enable works are completed, and is expected to take 26 weeks."

You can view the approved applications by searching references 25/00535/NMA and 25/00534/FUL on the council planning portal.

Once complete, it will be the second Aldi in Bracknell, the first being at Liscombe in Birch Hill, which opened in 2009 following the closure of the Waitrose store there in 2007. Aldi does not have a store in Bracknell so far.

James Aldridge, Local Democracy Reporter