Another Aldi store could open in Ashford after the discount chain snapped up a prime piece of land previously earmarked for a steakhouse.

Bosses at the German retailer have bought a 1.85-acre plot of scrubland off Canterbury Road in Kennington between the Holiday Inn hotel and M20.

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The land was initially expected to become a 170-seat Miller & Carter steakhouse after a planning application was approved last year, but the restaurant chain was unable to agree a deal with landowner Richard Gillam.

The 73-year-old has now sold the site to Aldi in a sale which was completed just days before Christmas.

The supermarket - which opened a store in Victoria Road in August 2018 - did not comment on its new purchase when approached by KentOnline's sister title the Kentish Express this week, but Mr Gillam expects bosses will submit a planning application in February.

Although planning permission was gained for the £4m Miller & Carter restaurant last year, Aldi will have to submit a fresh bid to Ashford Borough Council to allow the shop to be built.

Mr Gillam says the chain is planning to build an 18,000 sq ft store - which is just 500 sq ft smaller than its current Victoria Road site.

“Aldi came almost out of nowhere and I am no longer the owner,” Mr Gillam said.

“They have got a battle on their hands (to get planning permission), but they are a massive organisation and they have got quite a case to put to the council.

“All they are looking for is a different use - it may look a bit different to the steakhouse, but the building will still be the same size.”

The authority approved plans for the Miller & Carter steakhouse last summer, which included a 66-space car park.

The scheme hit a stumbling block when protected slow worms and dormice were discovered on the land, but the project was given the green light in August - 20 months after it was lodged.

In September, contractors cleared a large chunk of the site to make space for an entrance off Canterbury Road before the deal with the restaurant chain fell through.

Now Mr Gillam - who has seen a drawing of how the Aldi store could look - thinks the German retailer will ask for permission for 99 car park spaces.

“Aldi had obviously done a lot of due diligence before they approached me,” Mr Gillam added.

“It is the biggest-growing supermarket group and they just want to open new stores.

“I would have thought they will certainly have a planning application in during February.”

Mr Gillam, who had owned the site for six-and-a-half years, says he had four offers for the land, which was on the market for offers in excess of £500,000.

One option the Shoreham-by-Sea resident was considering would have seen 30 two-bedroom flats and 45 parking spaces built on the scrubland, which was previously home to the Houchin Sports and Social Club.

In 2015, Mr Gillam said he had even looked at building a 2,000-seater beach volleyball stadium on the land.

He also spoke to Greggs, the IMO Car Wash company, Vets4Pets and Starbucks about opening on the site, as well as considering a car showroom and petrol station.

The plot was being advertised by Stafford Perkins, which is due to remove ‘for sale’ boards from the site this week.

An Aldi spokeswoman says the firm “doesn’t have any comment at this time”.

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