New planning submissions uncover Lidl as the major retailer coming to Aylesbury Vale Retail Park

Last year, Bucks Council secured a deal with an unnamed company, referred to in documents as a “major retailer”, to take over three units at the shopping park.

The Bucks Herald also discovered that the council approved a £1.8 million loan to enable the retailer to complete the move.

Now, two new planning applications submitted by Lidl shows it was the previously unnamed company.

Lidl has asked for the council to grant it permission to alter the Vale Retail Park car park and for an amendment to its current agreement with the council so it can serve food and drink at the premises.

The international supermarket retailer is looking to move from its current base at Aylesbury Shopping Park to take over the other nearby shopping site.

Lidl has also recently submitted an application to open another supermarket in Aylesbury at a disused property, which was previously a car showroom site.

The supermarket chain wants to demolish the current property to make room for a new supermarket on Buckingham Road.

Bucks Council faced criticism for evicting family-run fruit and vegetable business, Fruity Tooty, from the popular shopping park last year.

The local company was moved into Vale Retail Park during the pandemic, its unit has since been taken over by Benson for Beds.

Lidl wants to make alterations to the current building, as well as make changes to the car park layout.

Current plans show the new supermarket will be 3,045 sqm.

Some landscaping will be involved in improving the disused area, the German retailer revealed in its planning statement.

Once complete Lidl wants 82 car parking spaces including seven disabled spaces and seven parent and child spots.

Plus, five Sheffield Cycle stands, allowing for 10 bike parking spots.

Currently, two Lidl supermarkets are operating in Aylesbury, as well as the shopping park store, another shop is open on Oakfield Road.

The company says its current shopping park store “no longer meets their operational needs”.

Lidl wants to upgrade the current appearance of the units which were previously used by Mothercare.

A new entrance and aluminium glazed shop fronts will also be constructed to improve the look of the store.

New cladding, a trolley bay, and glazed automatic doors are included in Lidl’s current application.

The new supermarket once greenlit will be open from 8am to 10pm, except on Sundays.

Bucks Council was approached to comment on this story.