A German supermarket giant is due to take over from a home-ware store that closed earlier this year in Bracknell.
Aldi, the German supermarket giant, is set to take over part of the former Homebase store on Wokingham Road in Bracknell, which closed on March 1.
The supermarket has applied to Bracknell Forest Council to change the building's use from non-food items to selling food. A planning condition from 1994 currently restricts this.
A planning agent from Avison Young justified the change, stating that Aldi offers a core range of essential items that families regularly buy, with around 90% of products being Aldi-branded, which helps keep costs down.
Unlike supermarkets like Marks & Spencer and Waitrose, Aldi does not provide butchers or hot-food counters, which sets it apart in the market.
The plans involve splitting the Homebase site into two units: Aldi will occupy a 1,361 sqm space, leaving a larger 1,481 sqm unit for a future tenant.
Aldi's interest in the site predates Homebase's closure, with the company seeking advice from the council in January regarding the planning application process.
While Aldi runs a store at Birch Hill Shopping Centre, it has ambitious expansion plans for Bracknell, Slough, and Maidenhead, as stated on their website, as they seek to grow their presence by 2025.
The identity of the business that will take the remaining unit at the old Homebase remains unknown.
James Aldridge, Local Democracy Reporter
