Cumnock set for an Aldi as supermarket plans approved

The German discount store will replace some of the existing buildings at the Thistle Business Park on Ayr Road.

An Aldi spokesperson said: “We’re pleased to have received planning permission for our new Cumnock store on Ayr Road and are grateful for the significant local support.

“We will now lodge a license application that we hope can be determined before the end of this year. If successful, we would aim to begin preliminary site preparations immediately thereafter. We will keep the community updated on developments.”

Local MSP Jeane Freeman was pleased to hear the news.

The proposals for the one-hectare site say that the shop will be open from 8am-10pm Mon-Sat and 9am-7pm on Sundays.

Part of the Thistle Business Park will be torn down to make way for the supermarket.

Aldi has been seeking to build on the site for the past year but faced opposition from their nearest competitor, ASDA. 

ASDA hired MJM Consulting Engineers to lodge a series of objections to the plans based on safety issues concerned with the road traffic that would be generated from the new store.

MJM said that: "Insufficient information [was] provided in the initial Transport Assessment... Therefore, the planning authority would be unable to adequately ascertain that the opertion of the road network would not be detrimentally impacted by the proposal, which could result in traffic congestion, increased vehicle emissions and road safety issues, particularly for pedestrians, cyclists and those with mobility impairments."

Amendments were made to the plans to include a signalised junction to allay these fears, which satisfied the council that the proposals were safe.

Council consultation with the Ayrshire Roads Alliance found that: "supporting information now indicate that the proposed Aldi Store could be accommodated on the current Thistle Business Park Site with the new Traffic Signal Junction Proposal addressing all likely Traffic Capacity Issues, whilst offering a Pedestrian Stage On-Demand to ensure the previous roads safety concerns are likewise addressed."

Locals on Facebook were pleased to hear that their options for shopping have improved, with one person saying: "Great news for Cumnock plenty of work for the area. Aldi is brilliant." And another: "I like Aldi, and it means we will no longer have to travel to Ayr or Kilmarnock. Great news."

The store will be situated 38 metres from Ayr Road, with car parking for 94 vehicles and bike stands for 10 bicycles.

Pedestrian access will be available from the newly built access point off of Ayr Road.