Aldi is lobbying Sir Keir Starmer to accelerate planning permission processes for new supermarkets as the retailer faces prolonged approval times from local councils.
George Brown, Aldi’s national real estate director, recently met with a senior special adviser to the Prime Minister, pushing for reforms that align with the Government’s agenda to drive economic growth and “get Britain building again.”
Brown expressed concerns on LinkedIn, highlighting that securing planning consent for new Aldi stores often takes over 12 months due to under-resourced local authorities. He proposed that Aldi would be willing to invest in the application process to expedite approvals, emphasising the need for more streamlined and efficient decision-making for retail developments.
Brown also noted a preference among planning authorities for warehouse and industrial estate approvals, which he argues generate fewer local jobs compared to supermarket openings. “To unlock significant investment in the UK economy, this needs to change,” he said.
Aldi has set a target to reach 1,200 UK stores by 2025 but is currently behind schedule with just over 1,020 locations. The retailer has also announced a broader goal of 1,500 stores, though no specific timeline has been provided. Aldi attributes the delays to planning red tape, building material shortages, and objections from competitors, factors which have slowed its expansion and impacted sales growth.
The discussions with Starmer’s adviser come amid broader promises from the Prime Minister to prioritise construction projects. Sir Keir recently pledged to “turbo-charge” the planning process to facilitate more rapid development of homes and commercial ventures.
Aldi’s push reflects a wider frustration within the retail sector over the current planning system. Competitors like Waitrose, Lidl, and Iceland are also pursuing expansion plans and have been vocal about the bureaucratic challenges they face. Richard Walker, managing director of Iceland, criticised planning delays as a “handbrake on growth,” citing prolonged approval times that hinder store openings.
Walker has also accused Aldi and Lidl of using restrictive property deal clauses to block Iceland stores from opening nearby, a claim both discounters have declined to comment on. Meanwhile, Aldi has countered that rival supermarkets are increasingly lodging planning objections to slow its own store openings, with UK CEO Giles Hurley noting that the number of objections has risen as Aldi continues to offer a significant price gap compared to traditional supermarkets.
Supermarket chains have denied any claims of filing unnecessary objections, stating they only raise concerns when there are valid planning considerations. The Government, including No 10, has declined to comment on the ongoing planning disputes.