Aldi is urging Labour leader Keir Starmer to accelerate planning permissions for new stores as the company faces significant expansion delays in the UK. The retailer has encountered bureaucratic challenges extending the approval process, affecting both its growth trajectory and sales.
George Brown, Aldi’s national real estate director, highlighted the difficulties in securing planning consent, noting that it often exceeds a 12-month process due to insufficiently resourced local authorities. Brown, advocating on social platforms like LinkedIn, has suggested that Aldi is prepared to financially support the application process to speed up the decision-making timeline.
Aldi aims to reach 1,200 UK stores by 2025 yet is lagging behind due to these delays, currently operating around 1,020 locations. The company’s broader goal is to achieve 1,500 stores, although no precise timeline has been provided.
Discussions with a senior special adviser to the Prime Minister reflect Aldi’s strategic move to align with the Government’s economic agenda. The corporation hopes to tap into the broader governmental promises to prioritise construction projects.
Despite the ongoing discussions and accusations of restrictive property deals, the Government, including No 10, has remained neutral, declining to comment on these planning disputes.
For its part, Aldi is committed to its expansion targets, continually advocating for reforms that would enable it to contribute more significantly to economic growth and job creation.
This drive for faster approvals aligns with potential policy shifts signalled by key political players who have expressed intent to prioritise efficient development processes.
Aldi’s appeal to Keir Starmer underscores a critical need for reform in the planning permission landscape to facilitate its ambitious growth plans. The broader retail sector’s shared challenges highlight the urgency for effective governmental intervention. The situation remains a focal point in discussions on enhancing the business environment in the UK.
